Kristan Higgins, author of ALWAYS THE LAST TO KNOW (Berkley) will be in conversation with author Susan Elizabeth Phillips, in a virtual event hosted by Cary Public Library via Zoomon Tuesday, June 9 at 7:00pm (ET).

Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz, co-authors of JO & LAURIE (Putnam Books for Young Readers), will be in virtual conversation with Tahereh Mafi in a Vroman’s Live virtual event via Crowdcaston Tuesday, June 9 at 5:00pm (ET).

Anbara Salam, author of BELLADONNA (Berkley), will be in conversation with Tina Panik at a virtual event, co-sponsored by the Avon Free Public Library and the Prince Thomas Savoy Italian Club, via Zoom on Tuesday, June 9 at 2:00pm (ET).

Join author and illustrator Alexandra Thompson for Virtual Storytime as she launches her new picture book A FAMILY FOR LOUIE (Putnam Books for Young Readers) with a reading and Q&A via Instagram on Tuesday, June 9 at 6:00pm (ET).

June is audiobook month, but beyond that, listening is a critical skill for empathy and growth – each and every day. We all have a responsibility to unite against racism and injustice. The audiobooks below offer a starting place for listeners of all ages to build understanding as we work to become better, well-informed citizens and allies. #BlackLivesMatter

Connecting readers with our books and authors is more important than ever in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing social distancing, and recent racism and police use of deadly force that has mobilized our country. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events, and you can help promote them. Share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today's leading activists and artists. Tonight, at 7PM (ET), authors Kimberly Drew, Adam Eli, Alok Vaid-Menon, and Xiuhtezcatl Martinez will participate in the Pocket Change Collective Roundtable in recognition of the ongoing protests and the Black Lives Matter movement to discuss the current moment, the ways in which their communities are involved and affected, and their continued advocacy to dismantle systemic oppression and promote social justice.

Book People presents Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz, co-authors of JO & LAURIE (Putnam Books for Young Readers), in virtual conversation with Rainbow Rowell viaZoomon Friday, June 5 at 5:00pm (ET).

Girls Write Now Agent of Change Honoree Kiley Reid, author of SUCH A FUN AGE (Putnam), will give the keynote talk, followed by live readings from 25 teens, at the Girls Write Now Live “History in the Making” virtual event via girlswritenow.org on Friday, June 5, 6:00 – 8:00pm (ET).

Brit Bennett, author of THE VANISHING HALF (Riverhead), will be in conversation with Jazmine Hughes, a story editor for The New York Times Magazine, at a Politics & Prose virtual event, in partnership with Girls Night In, via Crowdcast on Saturday, June 6 at 7:00pm (ET).

June 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of annual LGBTQ+ Pride traditions. The first Pride march in New York City was held on June 28, 1970 on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan - a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. First, President Bill Clinton declared June "Gay & Lesbian Pride Month" on June 2, 2000. In 2009, President Barack Obama declared June Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.

C Pam Zhang, author of HOW MUCH OF THESE HILLS IS GOLD (Riverhead), will be interviewed by American Writer's Museum program director Alison Sansone at a virtual event via Zoom on Thursday, June 4 at 7:30pm (ET).

David Pepper, author of THE VOTER FILE (Putnam), will be in conversation with Sherry Coolidge at a virtual event hosted by the Mercantile Library with Joseph Beth Booksellers via Crowdcast on Thursday, June 4, at 7:00pm (ET).

Dolly Parton’s weekly “Goodnight With Dolly” series continues as she reads Sophy Henn’s PASS IT ON (Philomel) via YouTubeand Imagination Library’s official social channels on Facebook, Twitterand Instagramon Thursday, June 4, at 7:00pm (ET).

A Home with Literati presents Brit Bennett, author THE VANISHING HALF (Riverhead) in a virtual conversation with Megha Majumdar, author of A BURNING (Knopf) via Zoom on Thursday, June 4 at 7:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Join One World editor-in-chief Chris Jackson and #BlackLivesMatter co-creator Alicia Garza for a Random House virtual event on Zoomon Thursday, June 4 at 8:00pm (ET) as they discuss the importance of resistance and resilience, and why they ground their work in a vision of collective humanity.

In the Audiobook Studio presents Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, authors of AURORA BURNING (Listening Library/Knopf Books for Young Readers), in a virtual conversation with PRH Audio producerNick Martorelli via Instagram Live on Wednesday, June 3 at 7:00pm (ET).

Candice Millard, author of such books as HERO OF THE EMPIRE (Doubleday/Anchor), and Hampton Sides, author of such books as ON DESPERATE GROUND (Doubleday/Anchor), are “Two Writers Talking,” engaging in a conversation on the art of bringing history to life on the page via Zoom on Wednesday, June 3 at 7:00pm (ET).

Heralding the publication of Megha Majumdar’s A BURNING by Knopf, “This is a novel of now: a beautifully constructed literary thriller from a rare and powerful new voice,” said Random House author Colum McCann. Offering more high praise was fellow Knopf author Yaa Gyasi: “A BURNING is an excellently crafted, utterly thrilling novel full of characters that I won’t soon forget. Megha Majumdar writes about the ripple effects of our choices, the interconnectedness of our humanity, with striking beauty and clarity. A stunning debut.”

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Deanna Raybourn, author of A MURDEROUS RELATION (Berkley), will discuss the latest book in her Veronica Speedwell series at a virtual event hosted by Atlanta’s FoxTale Book Shoppe viaZoomon Tuesday, June 2 at 6:30pm (ET).

Megha Majumdar, author of A BURNING (Knopf), will have a virtual conversation with Nicole Chung, followed by an audience Q&A, at a Books Are Magic virtual event via Zoomon Tuesday, June 2 at 7:00pm (ET).

Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin and Jac Vanek, the hosts of the popular podcast and E! show LadyGang, and authors of ACT LIKE A LADY (Rodale), are launching their new book with a virtual “lady bash” via Zoomon Tuesday, June 2 at 7:00pm (ET).

Sarah Hogle, author of YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER (Putnam), will be in-conversation with author Martha Waters and author/bookseller Amanda Diehl at a Belmont Books virtual event via Zoom on Tuesday, June 2 at 7:00pm (ET).

The James Beard Foundation has announced the winners of its 2020 Book, Broadcast Media, and Journalism awards. Congratulations to our award-winning Clarkson Potter, Ten Speed Press, Knopf and Avery authors, their editors, and publishers.To view the complete list of this year’s James Beard Awards winners, click here.

This year’s AIGA Design 50 Books | 50 Covers competition, widely recognized as the highest design honor in the book publishing world, features five prize-winning designs created by Penguin Random House art directors and designers. Our award winners are highlighted below, along with a Spotlight Interview with Ten Speed Press Senior Director, Art/Design,Betsy Stromberg. Congratulations to our talented and creative colleagues, who crafted the look of these books published by Ten Speed Press, Clarkson Potter, and Pantheon.

In this season of anxiety who do you want to read about? Are you looking to the past or the present? To laugh, to learn, to travel? Well, readers have flocked to the following biographies and memoirs in the last few months: a distinctive dozen. Dig in this weekend and join the club!

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Penguin Young Readers has partnered with Ladybird, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK, to develop and publish select books for young readers in the U.S. market. The new Ladybird line will live within the Penguin Workshop imprint, led by President & Publisher Francesco Sedita and will be directed by Cecily Kaiser, Publishing Director, Rise x Penguin Workshop and World of Eric Carle. The inaugural list will launch this fall with three paper-over-board picture books from Rhiannon Fielding’s globally bestselling TEN MINUTES TO BED series: Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Unicorn, Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Unicorn's Christmas, and Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Dinosaur. Upcoming lists will include the launch of BABY TOUCH, a first concepts series that introduces colors, shapes, and numbers, as well as peekaboo, nighttime and vehicles; and the LITTLE WORLD series that introduces pre-schoolers to high-interest destinations such as the jungle, the farm, the beach, and even the moon.

Learn how to draw a hedgehog with Lauren Castillo, author and illustrator of.OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG: The Story of Us (Knopf Books for Young Readers), at the Random House Children’s Books Art School via Instagramon Friday, May 29 at 1:00pm (ET).

Meredith Talusan, author of FAIREST (Viking), will be in conversation with Garrard Conley, author of BOY ERASED (Riverhead) at a virtual event co-hosted by Harvard Bookstore and the Harvard Gender & Sexuality Causus viaCrowdcaston Friday, May 29 at 7:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

We all witness daily the heroic work being done by nurses on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis, where they are working around the clock to care for the sick and vulnerable and protect the health of our communities. Our hearts go out to them and their patients, and yet for the past several weeks we’ve known the most important things we can do to support frontline workers and our vulnerable neighbours have actually been don’ts—don’t continue going to the office as usual, don’t get together with friends, don’t go out any more than necessary. As a result, while working from home, staying indoors, and practicing distancing, we at Penguin Random House Canada, like many around the world, have felt a strong impulse to find something we could actually do, a positive way of showing our appreciation for frontline workers, and of giving back to those in need.

May is Jewish American Heritage Month – proclaimed such in 2006 by President George W. Bush to honor the more than 350-year history of Jewish contributions to American culture. To commemorate those contributions, we turn to a host of excellent biographies and memoirs by and about some of our most influential and noteworthy Jewish Americans:

As everyone navigates these unprecedented times (both our community at Penguin Random House and the readers we serve), many are turning to books as a source of solace and guidance in the midst of chaos. In fact, according to insights from our own Penguin Random House Reader Insight Circle, 74% of readers deem books “essential” during these times (Consumer Marketing Insights). While consumer needs are continuously shifting to reflect the world’s rapidly changing circumstances, our books can aid them in adjusting to their new realities.

Gabby Rivera, author of JULIET TAKES A BREATH (Dial Books for Young Readers), and Meryl Wilsner, author of SOMETHNIG TO TALK ABOUT (Berkley), are featured on a “Read with Pride: Celebrating LGBTQ Fiction” panel, moderated by Michelle Hart, assistant books editor at Oprah Magazine. Register via Eventbrite, for this virtual event, taking place on Thursday, May 28, at 6:00pm (ET).

With all the Zoom meetings we’re attending in our new remote work setup, you might be looking for a way to spruce up your everyday web presence. Luckily, Clarkson Potter and Ten Speed Press have teamed up to create a series of free, downloadable Zoom backgrounds from their illustrated titles!

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

President Bill Clinton and bestselling author James Patterson are co-writing their second novel together, THE PRESIDENT’S DAUGHTER, which will be published jointly by Alfred A. Knopf and Little, Brown and Company in June 2021. The announcement was made today by Maya Mavjee, president and publisher of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, and Michael Pietsch, CEO of Hachette Book Group.

The New York Public Library announced its shortlist for the 2020 Young Lions Fiction Award, presented annually to an American writer 35 years old or younger for either a novel or a collection of short stories, with four Penguin Random House authors among this year’s finalists:

Curtis Sittenfeld, most recently author of RODHAM (Random House), in conversation with nationally syndicated newspaper columnist Aisha Sultan, at a virtual event hosted by the St. Louis County Library, with books sales by Left Bank Books, via slcl.org, on Wednesday, May 27 at 8:00pm (ET).

Elliot Ackerman, whose latest novel is RED DRESS IN BLACK AND WHITE (Knopf), will be interviewed by writer Özgür Mumcu at a virtual event hosted by The Center for Fiction via Crowdcast on Wednesday, May 27 at 1:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Penguin Random House Education is proud to announce the launch of its new Secondary Education website designed specifically for middle- and high-school educators and administrators. The site is live today: PRHSecondaryEd.com.
It joins the previously launched Penguin Random House Elementary (2019) and Penguin Random House Higher Education (2017) websites, with the goal of inspiring teachers and learners through outstanding books.

Jonathan Karl, Chief White House Correspondent for ABC News and author of FRONT ROW AT THE TRUMP SHOW (Dutton), will be in conversation with Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA Today, at a Gaithersburg Virtual Book Festival via YouTube on Saturday, May 23, at 7:00pm (ET).

Sister Helen Prejean, author of RIVER OF FIRE: My Spiritual Journey (Random House) , will discuss her book and spiritual quest to end the death penalty at a virtual event, presented by Seattle University and Town Hall, in partnership with Elliot Bay Book Company, via townhallseattle.org on Friday, May 22, at 10:30pm (ET).

Charlaine Harris will interview Patricia Briggs about the latter's latest novel, SMOKE BITTEN (Ace), as part of Essence of Wonder’s Leading Ladies of Urban Fantasy virtual event via Zoom on Saturday, May 23 at 3:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

The Random House Children’s Books Licensing Group has announced two new product lines for its prominent Uni the Unicorn brand. These include a line of children’s pajamas now available at Target.com and a card game coming in June created in partnership with Clarkson Potter (Penguin Random House). Based on the New York Times bestselling Uni the Unicorn publishing program by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Brigette Barrager, these new products further expand the Uni the Unicorn licensing range which already includes a variety of merchandise such as plush, puzzles and fabric.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Penguin Random House publishes many poignant, sometimes humorous, stories and histories to discover. Immerse yourself in the characters, settings and cultural themes of the following new, noteworthy and prize-winning titles for adults and younger readers, including graphic novels:

Penguin Publishing Group is launching the Penguin Worlds, a new speculative fiction book club, with a virtual discussion of STORM FRONT by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jim Butcher in conversation with Patrick Rothfuss via Zoom on Thursday, May 21 at 7:00pm (ET).

Emma Straub, New York Times bestselling author of, most recently, ALL ADULTS HERE (Riverhead), a Today Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club pick, joins bookseller Julie Robinson for a Books and Bathrobes Book Soup virtual event via Zoom on Thursday, May 21 at 1:30pm (ET).

Former President Barack Obama was the very special guest on yesterday’s “Mondays with Michelle Obama,” the new story-time initiative for kids and families from Penguin Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books, and PBS KIDS featuring the former First Lady of the United States.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

PRH Consumer Marketing’s Books Connect Us campaign, encouraging readers to connect online and share their love of books, has grown tremendously since launching in March. To date, the #booksconnectus hashtag has garnered over 70 million impressions! To celebrate everything we’ve done so far (particularly the multitude of virtual events), we are excited to share this Books Connect Us video, featuring over 40 authors! (Big shoutout to producer extraordinaire Charlotte Lesnick!)

At this Random House Book Club x ID Book Club virtual event, join Janelle Brown, author of PRETTY THINGS (RHBC Pick); Karen Abbott, author THE GHOSTS OF EDEN PARK (ID Book Club Pick); and C.J. Tudor, author of THE OTHER PEOPLE (ID Book Club Pick) as they discuss their Thrilling Reads via Zoom (register via EventBrite here. PRH employees receive free access to the event with the code: PRHThrills) on Wednesday, May 20 at 5:00pm (ET).

Join David Grann, most recently the author of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, and Patrick Radden Keefe, author of SAY NOTHING, for a conversation on the art of true crime writing moderated by The New Yorker’s Daniel Zalewski, presented by Doubleday, via Zoom (to register, click here) on Wednesday, May 20 at 7:00pm (ET).

Emily Henry, author of BEACH READ (Berkley) and Laura Hankin, author of HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT (Berkley) will be in conversation with BookTrib editor, Chelsea Ciccone, via Facebook Liveon Wednesday, May 20 at 12:00pm (ET).

The Roald Dahl Story Company has brought together Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, The Mandalorian, Jojo Rabbit) and a host of global stars, including Ryan Reynolds, Cate Blanchett, Mindy Kaling, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson and Cara Delevingne, to retell the beloved children’s novel JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH in full, across 10 episodes exclusively on the Roald Dahl YouTube channel.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Jonathan Karl, Chief White House Correspondent for ABC News and author of FRONT ROW AT THE TRUMP SHOW (Dutton), will be in conversation with Jim Falk, President and CEO of the World Affairs Council of Dallas.Fort Worth, via Zoom on Tuesday, May 19 at 12:00pm (ET).

Bryan Washington won the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize for his debut short story collection, LOT (Riverhead), it was announced on Thursday, May 14.
Now in its fifteenth year, the International Dylan Thomas Prize, one of the UK’s most prestigious literary awards, annually recognizes the “best published literary work in the English language, written by an author aged 39 or under” with a £30,000 prize.

Laura Hankin, author of HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT (Berkley), will be in Conversation with Claire Fallow (HuffPost) and author Katharine McGee a virtual event with East City Bookshop via Zoom on Tuesday, May 19, at 7:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

As we contemplate what in the world is going on with our world, many people are turning to journaling to put things in perspective or work out their dreams. For those who are not accustomed to the practice, and even for those who are adept at it, the following guided journals can help unlock thoughts and feelings:

As part of an ongoing partnership with YouTube, 11 authors and 11 different books from across Penguin Random House are featured in BookTube’s “Read With Me” special episode, released yesterday on the platform.

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, author of FIBER FUELED (Avery), will be featured at this virtual plant-based online event, which will be streamed live via the Plant-Strong website, on Saturday, May 16, at 6:30pm (ET).

Emma Straub, New York Times bestselling author of, most recently, ALL ADULTS HERE (Riverhead), a Today Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club pick, will be in conversation about her new novel with Berkley author Jasmine Guillory at a BookPeople virtual event viaZoom on Sunday, May 17, at 3:00pm (ET).

Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed share WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED (Dial Books for Young Readers), a true story told in graphic novel form, in a virtual Book Talk for young readers via Zoom on Sunday, May 17, at 4:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Shelf Awareness and Sourcebooks are launching a fun new movement to support indie bookstores by partnering on #ReadIndieForward, a pay-it-forward campaign to help independent bookstores during the COVID-19 pandemic, now and into the future.

Crown Books for Young Readers will publish the debut picture book from Emme Muñiz, the 12-year-old singer and daughter of Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, titled LORD HELP ME, it was announced by Emily Easton, Vice President & Publisher, Crown Books for Young Readers. The book will be released simultaneously in English and Spanish on September 29, 2020, with a first printing of 100,000 copies. Easton acquired World rights from Byrd Leavell at UTA and will edit the project.

Dr. Kari Nadeau, author of THE END OF FOOD ALLERGY (Avery), will present a sneak preview of her upcoming book at a virtual event hosted by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) via Facebook Liveon Friday, May 15 at 3:00pm (ET).

Sarah Urist Green, author of YOU ARE AN ARTIST: Assignments to Spark Creation (Penguin Books), will be in conversation with Penguin Young Readers author John Green, and participating artists Stuart Hyatt and Molly Springfield, for a Politics & Prose Live virtual event via Crowdcaston Friday, May 15 at 7:00pm (ET).

Maria Reva, author of GOOD CITIZENS NEED NOT FEAR: Stories (Doubleday), will be in conversation with Next Chapter Booksellers' David Enyeart at a virtual event via Zoom on Friday, May 15, at 8:00pm (ET).

The latest installment of Penguin Presentsfeatures Plume author/coloring book artist extraordinaire Kerby Rosanes, expanding on his latest creation, WORLDS WITHIN WORLDS , in an exclusive video on Instagram, May 15 at 7:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, observed at this time each year since 1949 when it was established by Mental Health America. Our mental well-being is of the utmost importance now as we try to cope with the corona virus pandemic – and possibly grief, fear, anxiety, loneliness, depression, trauma. People who already struggle with these issues may require even more support and understanding. The following books are some of the best on the topic of mental health:

This “Learn From Home” virtual event features Danica McKellar, author of, most recently, THE TIMES MACHINE! (Crown Books for Young Readers), speaking about her new book, multiplication and division, via Instagram on Thursday on May 14, at 1:00pm (ET).

Dolly Parton’s weekly “Goodnight With Dolly” series continues as she reads Steve Breen’s VIOLET THE PILOT (Puffin) on Thursday, May 14, at 7:00pm (ET) on YouTube and Imagination Library’s official social channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander month, the Consumer Marketing team has launched a campaign as part of the Books Connect Us initiative to amplify our Asian American authors using #ReadAsianAuthors. We want to show support for Asian American readers and writers during this difficult time of anxiety and xenophobia and provide a platform for our authors to share their stories.

Emma Straub, New York Times bestselling author of, most recently, ALL ADULTS HERE (Riverhead), a Today Show #ReadWithJenna Book Club pick, will be featured in a Warwick’s Couch Surfing Book Tour virtual event in conversation with Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke via Zoomon Wednesday, May 13, at 7:00pm (ET).

Andrea Bartz, author of THE HERD (Random House), is featured on the RH virtual event, “Writer’s Routine,” where she will discuss writing feminist thrillers on Random House’s Instagram, Wednesday, May 13, at 12:30pm (ET).

Adam Gidwitz and Emma Otheguy will talk about and read from the fifth title in THE UNICORN RESCUE SOCIETY series, THE MADRE DE AGUAS OF CUBA (Dutton Books for Young Readers) in a virtual event hosted by Greenlight Bookstore via Zoom on Wednesday, May 13 at 2:00pm (ET).

Amity Gaige, author of SEA WIFE (Knopf), will read from and discuss her latest novel with Anchor author Adam Haslett before answering audience questions at a virtual event hosted by The Center for Fiction via Crowdcaston Wednesday, May 13, at 7:30pm (ET).

Penguin Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books, and PBS KIDS today announced that “Mondays with Michelle Obama,” its special collaboration with the former First Lady of the United States, will be extended with four new storytimes on Monday, May 18, and Monday, May 25. On each of those dates, two new videos from “Mondays with Michelle Obama” will live-stream back-to-back on Facebook and YouTube, with Mrs. Obama being joined by surprise special guests for one of the two children’s books she will read aloud.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Seven acclaimed writers, theologians, and singers come together to celebrate the launch of Emily M. D. Scott’s debut memoir, FOR ALL WHO HUNGER: Searching for Communion in a Shattered World (Convergent) at a virtual Song and Story Festival, co-presented by Greenlight Books, St. Lydia's Church, and Judson Memorial Church, viaZoom on Tuesday, May 12 at 7:00pm (ET).

The school year for the Class of 2020 isn’t ending as planned, but that doesn’t mean graduation is canceled. Random House is presenting a Virtual Commencement on Tuesday, May 12 at 8:00pm (ET), when an all-star cast of authors will toast and share words of inspiration for this year’s grads.

Abby Collette, author of A DEADLY INSIDE SCOOP, a Berkley Trade Paperback Original, will be in conversation with Laurie Kincer, Writer Center Specialist, the virtual event hosted on Cuyahoga Library’s Facebook Live page on Tuesday, May 12, at 8:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

#tomyteacher, the week-long nationwide campaign honoring America's teachers undertaken by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Penguin Random House Education, is so successful it is being extended another two weeks. Originally timed for Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8), it now will run until Monday, May 25, in partnership with the licensed literary-themed apparel and accessories Penguin Random House company Out of Print and online education company Hot Chalk.

“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.” – Maya Angelou
Mother’s Day is this Sunday. While we may not celebrate this year the way we have in the past - with gatherings and gifts - we are still giving mothers special attention . The following books trace many perspectives and facets of motherhood as we reflect on how we mother and were mothered: an emotional terrain of hills and valleys, not without humor!

Authors Erik Larson and Christina Baker Kline will talk about Larson’s new book, THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE (Crown), in a virtual event hosted by Watchung Booksellers via Crowdcast ($10 through PayPal to "attend;” register here) on Saturday, May 9, at 3:00pm (ET).

Karim Shamsi-Basha and Irene Latham, co-authors of THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO (Putnam Books for Young Readers),will participate in a virtual launch event hosted by the Alabama Booksmith via Facebook Live on Saturday, May 9, at 3:05pm (ET).

David Allen Sibley, author of, most recently, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A BIRD (Knopf), and Jennifer Ackerman, author of, most recently, THE BIRD WAY (Penguin Press) celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with a lively and illustrated presentation about their mutual affection for birds. This virtual event is presented in partnership with the National Audubon Society via Zoom on Saturday, May 9, at 5:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

The Consumer Marketingteam is excited to share the news thatRead to Sleephas received a Webby Honoree in the Digital Campaigns category! The Webby Awards are awards for excellence on the Internet, presented annually by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, a judging body composed of over 2,000 industry experts. There were over 13,000 entrants this year, so we are delighted to be an honoree.

Penguin Random House’s donation of 750,000 books to First Book as part of READ TOGETHER, BE TOGETHER is featured on CNN International’s “Impact Your World” series. This special series showcases how companies around the world are giving back during the COVID-19 crisis. We are honored to be included.

The James Beard Foundation announced the nominees for its 2020 Book, Broadcast Media, and Journalism awards via Twitter this week and also listed Restaurant & Chef award nominees announced earlier this year. Among the nominations are multiple authors and books published by Penguin Random House imprints, led by Clarkson Potter and Ten Speed Press, as well as Knopf and Avery, plus nominations for Taste and PUNCH, and Penguin Random House Publisher Services clients. Congratulations and good luck to all. To view the complete list of this year’s James Beard Award nominees, click here.

In response to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the devastating effect it has had on all facets of life for people around the globe, Alice Quinn – former longtime poetry editor of The New Yorker and immediate past executive director of the Poetry Society of America – reached out to prominent poets across the country and asked them to share new poems at this moment in time. The results, TOGETHER IN A SUDDEN STRANGENESS: America’s Poets Respond to the Pandemic, will be published by Knopf on June 9.

Jennifer Steil, author of EXILE MUSIC (Viking), will be in conversation with Celia Laskey, author of UNDER THE RAINBOW (Riverhead), at a virtual event hosted by The Strand Bookstore for the launch of EXILE MUSIC. It will be live-streamed via The Strand's Facebook page on Friday, April 8, at 7:00pm (ET).

Randy Ribay, author of PATRON SAINTS OF NOTHING (Kokila/Penguin), will be featured on the Asian Author Alliance Asian Diaspora Experience Panel, in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, via Livestream on Friday, May 8 at 7:00pm (ET).

Frances Cha, author of IF I HAD YOUR FACE (Ballantine Books), will be in conversation with writer Hannah Bae for a virtual book launch with PowerHouse Bookstore via Zoom on Friday, May 8 at 7:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Should people be allowed to own dragons? What’s the best Game of Thrones house to marry into? These questions and more will be answered on The Great Fantasy Debate, an 8-episode video series featuring SFF authors Pierce Brown, Naomi Novik,Marie Lu, Tochi Onyebuchi, and Jim Butcher, which airs Tuesday nights on Facebook Watch, via the Penguin Random House Facebook page and the Unbound Worlds Facebook Group. All episodes are 10 minutes or less. Each week, authors and comedians team up to present arguments and counter-arguments to support their side of a fantasy topic, drawn from fantasy literature and film. At the end of each episode, the host declares a winner, then asks the audience to weigh in.

Michelle Obama’s BECOMING, a Netflix original documentary film directed by Nadia Hallgren, is released globally today, May 6. Produced in association with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, the film presents a rare and up-close look at Mrs. Obama’s worldwide tour in support of BECOMING, her #1 New York Times bestselling memoir.

Let’s hear if for the teachers! It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and we all know that teachers are rising to the challenge of online schooling in heroic ways. They deserve our appreciation each and every day for their patience and perseverance to make sure that students don’t fall behind. During this pandemic, so many stories are surfacing of teachers going the extra mile to show how much they care. The National PTA has some ideas about showing appreciation here. Where would any of us be without teachers? To celebrate them, check out these “teacher” titles:

Dolly Parton’s weekly “Goodnight With Dolly” series continues as she reads LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson (Putnam Books for Young Readers), on Thursday, May 7, at 7:00pm (ET) on YouTube and Imagination Library’s official social channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Brad Thomas Parsons, author of LAST CALL (Ten Speed Press), demonstrates how to mix the perfect cocktail during this week’s Random House virtual “Happy Hour” via Instagram on Thursday, May 7 at 4:00pm (ET).

This “Learn From Home” virtual event features Danica McKellar, author of, most recently, THE TIMES MACHINE! (Crown Books for Young Readers), speaking about her new book, multiplication and division, via Instagram on Thursday on May 7, at 1:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Jacqueline Woodson has been named the 2020 recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition given to an author and an illustrator of children's books. The dossier submitted for her nomination notes that all Jacqueline Woodson’s books “feature lyrical language, powerful characters, and an abiding sense of hope. The dialogues are pitch perfect, the stories are raw and fresh, and the endings satiate the reader.”

There have been 132 books published by one of our current/past imprints honored with a Pulitzer, a humbling accomplishment unrivaled in trade-publishing history. Here is a full list of Penguin Random House Pulitzer Prize winners since 1917 by category:

At Penguin Random House, community involvement is not a side story. We are committed to serving our communities beyond the books we publish. In honor of #GivingTuesdayNow Penguin Random House is highlighting today’s release of FAMILY MEAL: Recipes from Our Community, a digital-only cookbook benefiting America’s restaurant workers.

Robert Kolker, author of HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD (Doubleday), an Oprah’s Book Club pick, will be featured at a New York University virtual author talk, with an audience Q&A, via Zoom on Wednesday, May 6 at 7:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group is launching a new virtual book club, “How Have I Not Read This? with Albert Camus’s THE PLAGUE, to be discussed with participants in a digital event featuring authors Emily St. John Mandel, Laura Marris, and Alice Kaplan via Zoom (register here) on Tuesday, May 5, at 7:00pm (ET).

Random House Children’s Books, together with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, launched their OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! Virtual Graduation Celebration (#ohtheplaces2020) on Thursday, April 30, recognizing the Class of 2020 in light of nationwide cancellations of graduation ceremonies due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement was officially made by renowned astronaut Scott Kelly on NBC-TV’s Today show. To watch the segment, click here.

Max Brallier, author of THE LAST KIDS ON EARTH: June’s Wild Flight (Viking Books for Young Readers), will be on the Everywhere Book Fest “Plot on the Spot!” panel, as bestselling authors join forces to play a hilarious improv storytelling game and addressing the question, “What happens when kid lit authors have to create a plot on the spot?” This virtual event can be enjoyed via Everywhere Book Fest online, Saturday, May 2, at 11:00am (ET).

Are you finding it hard to concentrate these days? With the news, streaming channels and social media vying for our free time, one’s attention span can suffer and you may find yourself in a reading slump. Short stories are the perfect remedy!
In case you missed it, Edwidge Danticat is the 2020 Story Prize winner for her collection EVERYTHING INSIDE. She's also the first-ever winner (for THE DEW BREAKER in 2005). which makes Danticat the only two-time winner of The Story Prize. Hers and other favorite collections from Penguin Random House colleagues are featured below for your reading and listening pleasure:

Bestselling authors John Grisham and Stephen King presented their “one night only” online conversation last night, April 29, live streaming to King’s You Tube channel from their respective homes in Virginia and Florida via Zoom, to promote their new books, chat informally, and raise money for Binc (the Book Industry Foundation). The event was a success from every perspective, with more than 7,200 RSVPs making it the biggest Penguin Random House-centric virtual event to date, with nearly 5,000 live viewers (many posting live comments, such as “Hail to the chiefs!”); and $44,000 was raised for Binc. Donations are still being accepted here.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Gabby Rivera, author of JULIET TAKES A BREATH (Dial Books for Young Readers), is participating in the virtual Everywhere Book Fest, appearing on the Write #HerStory panel, as bestselling authors explore how their stories speak to the bigger picture of feminism and what it means to champion this narrative for young adults, via Everywhere Book Fest online, Friday, May 1, at 2:00pm (ET).

In the third episode of Girls Write Now Live, featuring genre and medium bending work from the next generation of women writers, Lauren Wilkinson, author of the debut novel, AMERICAN SPY (Random House), is recognized as an Agent of Change honoree, amplifying diverse voices. The event will be emceed by Joanne Ramos, author of THE FARM (Random House), and streamed via Facebook Live on Friday, May 1, at 6:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Author Amy Klein has written a comprehensive guide “for anyone – single, coupled, gay, straight, transgender -- experiencing fertility trouble.” THE TRYING GAME: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant Without Losing Your Mind, published by Ballantine Books, is empowering, compassionate, and down-to-earth, showing interested readers what to expect when they’re not expecting, with heart and humanity when they need it the most.
In this Behind the Pages Igloointerview, Klein talks about what inspired her to transform her on experiences with infertility into a book; the process of researching, writing, and working with her editor; and what elements she thinks will resonate most strongly with readers.

“We couldn't go on indefinitely being swept off our feet.” ― Zelda Fitzgerald
We cannot let April close without celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month! After all, our lives are full of improvisation lately and music is nothing if not a healing art. The Smithsonian launched Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) in 2001 to pay tribute to jazz both as a historic and living American art form. Our riff on the theme is based on current nostalgia for the roaring twenties as people compare what it might be like once we safely resume our normal (or close to normal) social lives. So we invite you to re-enter the Jazz Age through the following nonfiction titles and classic novels:

C Pam Zhang , author of HOW MUCH OF THESE HILLS IS GOLD (Riverhead), will be in conversation with Jacqueline Woodson, author of such titles as the National Book Award-winning BROWN GIRL DREAMING (Nancy Paulsen Books), at a virtual event co-hosted by Belletrist & Midtown Scholar Bookstore via Instagram and Twitter on Thursday, April 30 at 4:00pm (ET).

Samantha Irby, author of WOW, NO THANK YOU. (Vintage), an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, and Jia Tolentino, author of TRICK MIRROR (Random House), a NYT bestseller and a finalist for the PEN/Diamond-Spieelvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, are having a conversation at a Free Library of Philadelphia virtual event via Crowdcast on Thursday, April 30, at 7:30pm (ET).

In this Random House Writer’s Routine virtual event, Frances Cha, author of IF I HAD YOUR FACE (Ballantine Books), discusses how she was able to bring Seoul to life via Instagram on Thursday, April 30 at 7:30pm (ET).

Random House Virtual Events presents One World Ideas x Action, with Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, author of THE UNDOCUMENTED AMERICANS (One World), and Quiara Alegria Hudes, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and an author of an upcoming memoir, moderated by One World executive editor Elizabeth Mendez Berry via Zoom on Thursday, April 30 at 8:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Major Michelle Obama news was announced by Netflix on Monday, April 27. Mrs. Obama commented on Twitter: “I’m excited to share that on May 6, @Netflix will release BECOMING, a documentary directed by Nadia Hallgren that shares the stories of the amazing people I met after the release of my memoir. During this difficult time, I hope you’ll find some inspiration and joy in this film.”

John Grisham is treating his millions of readers to a welcome literary escape with the publication of his 34th novel, CAMINO WINDS, today, Tuesday, April 28, in hardcover and eBook by Doubleday, and as a Random House Audio. The Washington Post writes, “Grisham’s amiable beach book is a follow-up to CAMINO ISLAND... [it]reads is as if the Hardy Boys were in their late 40s and had developed a taste for shrimp tacos and exquisite wines.”

BookPeople Presents: Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed share WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED (Dial Books for Young Readers), a true story told in graphic novel form, via Zoom on Wednesday, April 29, at 5:00pm (ET).

Jon Mooallem, author of THIS IS CHANCE! (Random House), will be in conversation with Connie Schultz, author THE DAUGHERS OF EIRIETOWN (Random House), in association with the National Press Club Journalism Institute and Politics & Prose via Zoom, on Wednesday, April 29, at 11:30am (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

During this very challenging time, it has been a joy to watch the book community come together online. From publishers making donations and raising awareness for how to help local indie bookstores to authors hosting virtual readings and book talks, there has been an incredible show of support. As we all know, book people are the best people, and this has been abundantly clear as publishers across Penguin Random House and Penguin Random House Publisher Services clients have gone above and beyond in providing resources for their readers.

Lawrence Wright’s new novel, THE END OF OCTOBER (Knopf), is being launched virtually, with Wright in conversation with author/New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof via Zoom on Tuesday, April 28, at 8:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

For National Poetry Month, why not dip into some brilliant novels in verse? We offer a bounty of provocative, poetic tales for young adults that will also appeal to many adults. These are quite likely to prompt your own lyrical output:

Christy Lefteri’s THE BEEKEEPER OF ALEPPO (Ballantine Books) has won the 2020 Aspen Words Literary Prize, it was announced on Thursday, April 16. The $35,000 annual award is given to “an influential work of fiction that illuminates a vital contemporary issue and demonstrates the transformative power of literature on thought and culture.”

Politics & Prose LIVE presents a virtual event with Samantha Irby, author of WOW, NO THANK YOU. (Vintage), an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, in conversation with writer/critic Maris Kreizman via Crowdcast (register here.) on Saturday, April 25 at 7:00pm (ET).

Ransom Riggs, whose most recent book is THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS (Dutton Books for Young Readers), moderates a discussion about Modern Magic Worldbuilding at the virtual festival, YALLSTAYHOME, on Saturday, April 25, at 3:00pm (ET).

Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz, co-authors of JO & LAURIE (Putnam Books for Young Readers), open the virtual festival, YALLSTAYHOME, talking all things “Little Women,” joined by longtime friend Raphael Simon AKA Pseudonymous Bosch as moderator of the keynote, via Zoom on Saturday, April 25, at 1:00pm (ET).

Renée Ahdieh, whose latest book is the upcoming YA/Fantasy novel, THE DAMNED (Putnam Books for Young Readers) and Marie Lu, THE KINGDOM OF BACK (Putnam Books for Young Readers) will address “How do you do the research to write historical fiction, and when do you have to let the history books go and start your own world building?” at the virtual festival, YALLSTAYHOME, via Zoom, on Sunday, April 26, at 4:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Diana Kapp, author of GIRLS WHO RUN THE WORLD: 31 CEOs Who Mean Business (Delacorte Books for Young Readers), is partnering with Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains and Junior Achievement of Northern California to present a free virtual event today, April 23, as an alternative activity for those who would normally bring their children into the office as part of Take Your Children to Work Day. And while today’s event is female-focused, the content will be inspiring for all.

Penguin is excited to launch a new web series called “Penguin Presents” this week. Penguin Publishing Group will be featuring authors with upcoming books from across all PPG imprints – some will be in conversation with their editors, some will be chatting with co-authors, some will be doing demonstrations from their books, and more.

Jeni McFarland, author of THE HOUSE OF DEEP WATER (Putnam), will be in conversation with author Andy Johnson at a virtual event hosted by the Brazos Bookstore via Instagram on Friday, April 24, at 7:00pm (ET).

Penguin Random House is hosting a virtual convention, #PRHVirtualCon, in partnership with Reddit for AMA and #RPAN activations, featuring some of our bestselling authors on Reddit and PRH social media platforms, on Friday, April 24, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

For Earth Day, the editors of the New York Times Book Review and Climate desks created "The Year You Finally Read a Book About Climate Change" as a guide to help readers find the right book for them. The feature includes several Penguin Random House titles about climate change and its effects on our planet. They are listed below. For even more Penguin Random House books to help you celebrate Earth Day and PRH Green Week, click here.

The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group is launching a new virtual book club: How Have I Not Read This? Its inaugural selection, Albert Camus’sTHE PLAGUE, will be discussed with participants in a digital event featuring Emily St. John Mandel, Laura Marris, and Alice Kaplan on Tuesday, May 5.

What on earth can you do? Plenty! Today commemorates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. On April 22, 1970 millions of people took to the streets to protest industrial pollution. In July of that year, the Environmental Protection Agency was created and now Earth Day is a global event with 192 countries participating. Coordinated by The Earth Day Network, it is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world. As we are staying in our homes more, emissions are much- reduced and we are refocused on “what’s necessary.” To support both personal greener living goals as well as global conservation efforts, Penguin Random House publishes many excellent titles; here are a handful of the new, classic and most actionable for all ages to enjoy in the spirit of Earth Day and PRH Green Week.

Dolly Parton’s weekly “Goodnight With Dolly” series continues as she reads Floyd Cooper’s MAX AND THE TAG-ALONG MOON (Puffin) on Thursday, April 23, at 8:00pm (ET) on YouTube and Imagination Library’s official social channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Jeni McFarland, author of THE HOUSE OF DEEP WATER (Putnam), will be in conversation with writer Dasha Kelly Hamilton at a virtual event hosted by Boswell Books/The Retreat via YouTube on Thursday, April 23, at 7:00pm (ET).

Jenny Offill, author of WEATHER (Knopf), gives a reading, followed by a conversation and Q&A at a virtual event hosted by NYU Creative Writing Program senior faculty member and National Book Critics Circle Award winning Random House author Darin Strauss via Zoom on Thursday, April 23, at 6:00pm (ET).

Robert Simonson, author of THE MARTINI COCKTAIL (Ten Speed Press), among other books, will be featured on Random House’s virtual Happy Hour, showing how to create the martini cocktail via Instagram on Thursday, April 23, at 4:00pm (ET).

Adam Gidwitz and Emma Otheguy will speak to educators about the fifth title in the THE UNICORN RESCUE SOCIETY series, THE MADRE DE AGUAS OF CUBA (Dutton Books for Young Readers) via Zoom on Thursday, April 23, at 3:00pm (ET).

Susan Meissner, whose most recent novel is THE LAST YEAR OF THE WAR (Berkley), is will be on a virtual panel, “Connecting Women in a Time of Disconnect,” with fellow Berkley author Kristy Woodson Harvey, via ELYSIAN Ignite online, Thursday, April 23, at 12:00 pm (ET).

Alexander Halberstadt, author of YOUNG HEROES OF THE SOVIET UNION (Random House), will be in conversation with National Book Award-winning Riverhead author Masha Gessen (THE FUTURE IS HISTORY: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia), in association with Greenlight Bookstore and the Brooklyn Public Library, via Zoom on Thursday, April 23, at 7:30pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

The winners and honorees of the 40th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were announced on Friday, April 17, with six titles published by Penguin Random House imprints earning prizes, and two authors on our lists receiving special awards.

Chris Bohjalian will give a talk about and read from his latest novel, THE RED LOTUS (Doubleday), then answer questions live on the Tall Poppy Writers’ Facebook Group(Note: this is a private group, to must request to join in advance.) on Wednesday, April 22, at 4:00pm (ET).

Alma Katsu, author of THE DEEP (Putnam), will be interviewed and engage in an audience Q&A in association with the St. Saint Louis County Library/HEC Media via Zoom on Wednesday, April 22, at 4:00pm (ET).

Laurie Halse Anderson will be in conversation with Betsy Gomez (Banned Books Week Coordinator) and Ellie Diaz (Office of Intellectual Freedom) to discuss censorship and encourage people to start thinking about and participating in Banned Books Week via Facebook Live on Wednesday, April 22, at 1:00 (ET).

Afia Atakora, author of CONJURE WOMEN (Random House), is featured on the Random House Writer’s Routine virtual event, where she will share insights into the creation of her first novel and glimpses of her writing space via Instagram on Wednesday, April 22, at 12:30pm.

Thomas Kostigen, author HACKING PLANET EARTH (TarcherPerigee) will be participating in a Harvard Business School Association of Boston virtual event, “How Top Companies, Climate Change and COVID-19 Intersect,” via a Webinar (free for members, $20 for non-members) on Wednesday, April 22, from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm (ET).

Jonathan Karl, Chief White House Correspondent for ABC News and author of FRONT ROW AT THE TRUMP SHOW (Dutton), will be in conversation with Mike McCurry, former White House Press Secretary during the Bill Clinton administration, at a virtual Politics & Prose Live event via Crowdcast on Wednesday, April 22 at 8:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Penguin Random House corporate partner LitWorld® has launched a campaign called the Global Heart Map Project. The organization is inviting people everywhere to create and share Heart Maps, to help shape a positive story about global connectedness in these times when so many people are isolated and apart from each other.

C Pam Zhang , author of HOW MUCH OF THESE HILLS IS GOLD (Riverhead), is participating in the Antibody Reading Series, with fellow Penguin Random House novelist Marie-Helene Bertino and poet/essayist Mary-Kim Arnold, in association with Greenlight Bookstore via Zoom at on Tuesday, April 21 at 8:00pm (ET).

Sue Monk Kidd will discuss her now novel, THE BOOK OF LONGINGS (Viking), with Robin Homonoff and participate in an audience Q&A through A Mighty Blaze via Live Zoom (meeting ID: 339 452 386) on Tuesday, April 21, at 2:00pm (ET).

Janelle Brown, whose latest novel is PRETTY THINGS (Random House), will be in conversation with Vintage author Julia Phillips at a virtual event hosted by Books Are Magic via Facebook Live on Tuesday, April 21 at 7:00pm (ET).

Join author Abi Daré, along with Read with The Ivy co-hosts Emma Snyder and Marion Winik, to discuss Daré's debut novel THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE (Dutton) via Zoom on Tuesday, April 21, at 4:30pm (ET).

Penguin Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books, and PBS KIDS today announced a special collaboration with former First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, in support of the recently announced “Read Together, Be Together”Penguin Random House literacy initiative and PBS KIDS’ “Read-Along” effort on Facebook and YouTube. On Monday, April 20, at 12 noon (ET), “Mondays with Michelle Obama” will kick off a four-week series of videos that will feature Mrs. Obama reading aloud from beloved children’s books (one book every Monday through May 11). “Mondays with Michelle Obama” (#PBSKIDSRead, #ReadTogetherBeTogether) will be livestreamed simultaneously on PBS KIDS’ Facebook page and YouTube channel, and on Penguin Random House’s Facebook page, and will remain available for viewing on demand on all of those platforms immediately thereafter. The four books Mrs. Obama will read are:

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

In these trying times, many people are reading poetry and doing puzzles in order to find comfort and stay mentally fit. Thus, we offer two ancient and ever-popular exports: Haiku and Sudoku. Haiku is an ancient Japanese poetic form mastered by Basho and Issa and brought to the West in the 20th century. It’s relaxing to write and to read (especially during National Poetry Month). Sudoku originated in Switzerland, but is a Japanese word – “su” means 'number' and “doku” means 'single.’ Sudoku has deep roots in ancient number puzzles. Both Haiku and Sudoku are said to have intellectual and emotional benefits.

Iranian poet Garous Abdolmalekian, whose latest collection is LEAN AGAINST THIS LATE HOUR (Penguin Books), will be explored by his translators, Idra Novey and Ahmad Nadalizadeh, as part of the Us & Them Reading Series, via Zoom (meeting ID 584 655 477) on Saturday, April 18 at 8:00 pm (ET).

Tieghan Gerard, author of HALF BAKED HARVEST SUPER SIMPLE (Clarkson Potter), will be talking about her cookbook and making simple comfort food on Random Pantry via Instagram on Saturday, April 18, at 4:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Jon Mooallem, author of THIS IS CHANCE! (Random House), will be in conversation with Jazmine Hughes of The New York Times Magazine, this virtual event hosted by Greenlight Bookstore via Zoom on Friday, April 17, at 7:30pm (ET).

Random House Children’s Books author Cat Deeley will read Eric Carle’s THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR (Philomel Books) as part of #ReadTogetherBeTogether via Instagram Live on Friday, April 17 at 3:00pm (ET).

Casey Schwartz, author of ATTENTION: A Love Story (Pantheon), will be in conversation with fellow Penguin Random House author Franklin Foer, this virtual event hosted by Politics & Prose via Crowdcast on Friday, April 16 at 7:00pm (ET).

In an effort to support America’s restaurant industry, Penguin Random House will publish FAMILY MEAL: Recipes from Our Community, a digital-only charitable cookbook, the proceeds of which will benefit restaurants and their workers. The book will go on sale May 5, and is available for preorder now.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Iranian poet Garous Abdolmalekian, whose latest collection is LEAN AGAINST THIS LATE HOUR (Penguin Books), will be in conversation with his translators, Idra Novey and Ahmad Nadalizadeh, moderated by Poets House's Paolo Javier. The event will be livestreamed on Poets House's Twitter, on April 16 at 2:00 pm (ET), then posted on their Archive, Facebook and YouTube.

Dolly Parton’s weekly “Goodnight With Dolly” series continues as she reads Anna Dewdney’s LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA (Viking Books for Young Readers) on Thursday, April 16, at 7:00pm (ET) on YouTube and Imagination Library’s official social channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, author of such titles as THE WATER DANCER and BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME,, will be in conversation with Heather McGhee, an American political commentator and strategist, moderated by One World publisher & editor-in-chief Chris Jackson, in an Ideas x Action virtual event via Zoom (register here) on Thursday, April 16 at 8:00pm (ET).

Matthew Norman, author of LAST COUPLE STANDING (Ballantine), will be featured on a Facebook Group Book Club Takeover with Ashley Spivey, a contestant on the 15th season of The Bachelor, on Thursday, April 16, at 8:00pm (ET).

“Exhaust the little moment. Soon it dies. And be it gash or gold it will not come again in this identical guise.” - Gwendolyn Brooks
Are you finding it difficult to get poetry from the news? National Poetry Month is in full swing with virtual readings from poets and the introspection and solace they offer. It’s our hope that poets and their work are finding new fans at this time of crisis. Poetry comes in myriad forms and styles and Penguin Random House publishes the gamut - haiku, sonnets, odes, prose poems, lyric, Instagram, free verse, narrative, translated works, slam poetry…you name it! And we are proud publishers of many award-winning poets and collections, as follows:

Books have the power to connect and sustain us, particularly in times like these. As ever, Penguin Random House is working to be the best partner, now and in the future, for our bookselling community, and we remain supportive of those retail partners who have been hit hardest by this crisis.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Today, Tuesday, April 14, bestselling author Dani Shapirodropped a new podcast called The Way We Live Now. A daily show that will release fifteen-minute conversations four times a week, The Way We Live Now speaks directly to what we’re all experiencing as we try to navigate a world turned upside-down by COVID-19. The project’s aim is to examine, through personal stories, how life is unfolding as we’re all isolated in our own homes.

Alma Katsu, author of THE DEEP (Putnam), will read from and talk about her latest novel, in conjunction with San Diego’s Mysterious Galaxy bookstore, for a virtual event via Facebook Live on Wednesday, April 15, at 7:00pm (ET).

Robert Reich, author of THE SYSTEM (Knopf), will be the featured speaker in a Civics Series presentation followed by an online audience Q&A as part of a Town Hall Seattle virtual event on Wednesday, April 15, at 7:30pm (ET).

Mental Health and Self Care is the theme of this Random House “Well Enough: Make Wellness Work for You” virtual event, featuring authors Celeste Headlee, Tara Schuster, and Corinne Sweet, moderated by writer and lecturer Rachel Cargle, in a Zoom Webinar on Wednesday, April 15 at 8:00pm (ET).

Amy Jo Burns, author of SHINER (Riverhead), will be in conversation with fellow writer Anica Mrose Rissi, moderated by Janie Hermann of the Princeton Public Library, via Crowdcast on Wednesday, April 15, at 7:30pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

The Consumer Marketing team, in collaboration with colleagues from across Penguin Random House publishing groups, created and launched a new Books Connect Us podcast series. Each show consists of 20- to 30-minute remote conversations, between an author and a specially picked interviewer. They delve into the author's latest book and offer unique perspectives on our current situation. The authors also touch on what they're reading, and why books are an important connective tissue for us all.

Readers looking for a “laugh-out-loud masterpiece.... The perfect read at a time when we all could use a little comic relief” (AP) have found their new favorite book with Samantha Irby’s WOW, NO THANK YOU. Irby’s third collection of personal essays, published on March 31 as a Vintage Paperback Original, debuts on the April 19 New York Times Trade Paperback Nonfiction Bestseller list at #1.

Emily St. John Mandel will open windows into her latest novel THE GLASS HOTEL (Knopf), with a reading, discussion and audience Q&A, during a Harved Book Store Crowdcast Event on Tuesday, April 14, 7:00pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Professional dog trainer and novelist Victoria Schade will answer reader questions and talk about her new book WHO RESCUED WHO (Berkley). She will also feature her own dogs and offer training tips on “Live with Doylestown Bookshop” on Instagram Live (@doylestownbookshop, @victoria_schade), Friday, April 10 at 2:00pm (ET).

Oliver Jeffers,the #1 bestselling illustrator of The Day the Crayons Quit!, presents a special Stay at Home Story Times series in which he reads his picture books live on Instagram. Jeffers will read THE HUEYS IN IT WASN'T ME (Philomel Books) on Instagram Live (@oliverjeffers) on Friday, April 10, at 2:00pm (ET)

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

You may know April as Autism Awareness Month, but it’s also Autism Acceptance Month, founded in 2011 by autistic self-advocate Paula Durbin Westby to push back against harmful stereotypes and put the voices of autistic people first. With that in mind, all the books we’re highlighting today are by #actuallyautistic authors, and we couldn’t be more proud to publish them.

An Easter Message from WaterBrook & Multnomah author Mike Donehey will be delivered on Facebook (@MikeDoneheyAuthor), Twitter (@MikeDonehey) and Instagram (@MikeDonehey) on Thursday, April 9, at 6:00pm (ET).

Bestselling author Lisa Gardner will reveal five things you should know about her most recent book, WHEN YOU SEE ME (Dutton), and she will also be taking questions from readers on Facebook Live (@LisaGardnerBks), Thursday, April 9, at 1:00 pm (EDT).

Dolly Parton’s weekly “Goodnight With Dolly” series continues as she reads her book COAT OF MANY COLORS , illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes (Grosset & Dunlap) on Thursday, April 9, at 7:00pm (ET) on YouTube and Imagination Library’s official social channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Barnes & Noble announced this morning that CONJURE WOMEN by Afia Atakora (Random House) is the April B&N Book Club pick. This lush, unforgettable debut novel is on sale today. On Monday, May 4, at 7:00 pm (ET), Atakora will be live on B&N Instagram in conversation with bestselling Random House author Amy Bloom.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS) is celebrating three of its clients earning coveted places on Publishers Weekly's 2020 ranking of "Fast-Growing Independent Publishers." Blue Star Press, Charlesbridge Publishing, and North Atlantic Books are among the ten "small" houses selected for the annual list, published in the April 6 issue, based on their respective sales results and momentum.

Laura Hankin hosts her HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT Hangout, a weekly music break for parents and kids (geared towards pre-schoolers), beginnnig on Wednesday, April 8, 2:30pm (EDT) on Instagram Live (@laurahankin),

R.J. Palacio reads from her #1 New York Times bestselling book WONDER (Random House Children’s Books) via #WONDERreadaloud and on Twitter @RJPALACIO, every week day at 12:00pm (EDT). Palacio will also be reading from the Spanish edition of WE’RE ALL WONDERS (TODOS SOMOS ÚNICOS) on Wednesday, April 8, at 3:00pm (EDT).

R. Eric Thomas delves into the writing of his first book, HERE FOR IT (Ballantine) on Wednesday, April 8, at 11:00am (ET) on Istragram. Through Writer’s Routine, Random House’s Instagram photo series, authors invite readers into their creative spaces, share their writing routines, and give exclusive insights into their books.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

Random House Children’s Books authors Nic Stone, Rebecca Stead and Tae Keller will be talking about their latest books on Booklist’s “In the Middle of It All: Books for the Middle Grade Reader in All of Us" webinar on Tuesday, April 7, at 2:00pm (ET). Registration is free. Sign up here.

Enjoy a Lunch & Learn virtual program with Peter Walsh, decluttering guru and author of LET IT GO: Downsizing Your Way to a Richer, Happier Life (Rodale). He will demonstrate how to say goodbye to clutter, reduce stress, and live simply, going through his easy-to-use guide to downsizing on Instagram Live (@randomhouse), Tuesday, April 7, at 12:30pm (ET).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now you can help promote them. You can share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.

“In these times, poetry speaks from one isolate to another, connects strangers, links up people who are otherwise disconnected, speaks from one solitude to another.”

—Edward Hirsch

Welcome National Poetry Month…
Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month has become the largest literary celebration in the world, marking poetry's important place in our lives. Now, as we face unprecedented circumstances, National Poetry Month has taken on new meaning as more and more people turn to poems for inspiration, solace and strength. Here to help bring beauty, truth and transcendence into your daily life are a handful of newly published poetry volumes:

On April 1, author Laura Vanderkam launched a daily podcast called The New Corner Office, which she describes as a way to “share strategies for thriving in the new world of work.” From to-do lists to home office design to strategic career decisions, episodes will drop every weekday and feature a quick tip, strategy or answer to a listener question. “My goal,” Vanderkam tells listeners, “is to help you succeed in the modern workplace, where ideas matter more than ever, but shoes might be optional.”

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now with this new daily feature on Igloo, you can help promote them. Scroll below to see how you can highlight and share the ones you’re most excited about — or the full day’s line-up — with your family, friends, and followers on social media.

Robyn Crawford, author of A SONG FOR YOU: My Life With Whitney Houston (Dutton), is being honored with an Agent of Change Award at a special Girls Write Now virtual event. Crawford will give a short speech and participate in a Q&A. Girls Write Now mentees will also be presenting their original work. Tune in via Facebook Live on Friday April 3, 6:00pm (EDT).

While many public libraries nationwide have closed to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, they continue to serve their communities virtually 24/7 with library staff doing what is necessary to support the informational, educational, and recreational needs and interests of their public.
Here are some highlights of public libraries extending their service, stewardship, and community outreach:

R.J. Palacio will read from her #1 New York Times bestselling book WONDER (Random House Children's Books) via #WONDERreadaloud and on Twitter @RJPALACIO, every week day, beginning Friday, April 3, 12:00pm (EDT).

Tad Hills, author of the DUCK & GOOSE series (Schwartz & Wade), will be featured on the launch of the Random House Children’s Books Art School. RHCB illustrators will give virtual drawing classes from their bestselling book on Instagram Live and IGTV (@RandomHouseKids), beginning with Tad Hills on Friday, April 3, 1:00 PM (EDT).

Beloved bestselling Viking/Penguin author Ken Follett will answer questions fans are leaving in the comments section of this post on his official Facebook page on Facebook Live, Friday, April 3 at 11:00am (EDT).

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now with this new daily feature on Igloo, you can help promote them. Scroll below to see how you can highlight and share the ones you’re most excited about — or the full day’s line-up — with your family, friends, and followers on social media.

"Humor is just another defense against the universe." –Mel Brooks
It’s April Fool’s Day and humor is playing a big role in how we are coping these days. From social media memes to videos to our favorite comedians, poignant fun is being poked at us humans and shared left and right. In light of this levity in a serious time, here are some of the most popular comic memoirs and collections Penguin Random House has to offer:

Dolly Parton will be reading a children’s book for bedtime every Thursday evening over the course of a 10-week series entitled “Goodnight With Dolly,” beginning on Thursday April 2 at 7:00pm (ET). The first book Dolly will be reading is THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD 90th Anniversary edition by Watty Piper, introduction by Dolly Parton, illustrated by Dan Santat (Grosset & Dunlap). To see and hear Dolly read, go to YouTube or Imagination Library’s official social channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Connecting readers with our books and authors during the coronavirus outbreak and this period of social distancing is more important than ever. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events each day, and now with this new daily feature on Igloo, you can help promote them. Scroll below to see how you can highlight and share the ones you’re most excited about — or the full day’s line-up — with your family, friends, and followers on social media.

Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt will be talking about her book, THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS (Pamela Dorman Books), as part of San Diego Women's Week Virtual Conversations, on Facebook Live Talk (Wednesday, April 1, 4:00pm ET). To register, click here. Share this event with your friends and family.

Penguin Random House authors won three of eight prestigious Windham-Campbell Prizes. The awards are administered by the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University and aim to recognize the literary achievement of talented English language writers from around the world.
Each winner will receive $165,000 to give them the opportunity to focus on their work independent of financial concerns.

The Whiting Awards were established in 1985 to reward emerging writers for early-career achievements and encourage their continued pursuit of literary excellence. This year, PRH authors were among the winners in the Fiction and Nonfiction categories and will be awarded $50,000 by the Whiting Foundation.
Though the planned awards ceremony was postponed due to COVID-19, the foundation is planning a celebration for the winners with Pulitzer Prize finalist and MacArthur Fellow Sarah Ruhl for later this year.

This week saw the publication of the Dalai Lama’s first book for children, THE SEED OF COMPASSION, inspired by his own childhood. His Holiness is also in the news in support of India’s recently announced efforts to combat the spread of the corona virus. In an open letter he wrote:
“Since Himachal Pradesh has been my home for almost 60 years, I naturally feel an affinity for its people. Therefore, as a token of respect and sympathy, I am making a donation from the Gaden Phodrang Trust of the Dalai Lama to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in order to contribute to providing essential supplies like food and medicine for the poor and needy members of the community.”

Many of our caring authors are asking us how they can assist independent booksellers. Penguin Random House Sales colleagues are offering a wealth of suggestions, many of which you can adapt and implement to help support our accounts.

Apple TV+ has released the first trailer for their adaptation of William Landay's bestselling novel DEFENDING JACOB (Delacorte Press/Bantam). The eight-part series stars Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery as parents of a teen boy accused of a gruesome act. The first three episodes will premiere on Friday, April 24 exclusively on Apple TV+.

As we are all spending more time than ever at home, books are providing much-needed comfort, escape and inspiration. This month Penguin Random House published an impressive list of debut titles. We’re including author photos and biographical info so you can learn a little about them as well as see what they are up to online:

Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health. - Dalai Lama
We are all after the balm that can keep us calm… may we suggest these soothing books for your weekend?

Read It Forward’s newest podcast, The Adaptables, just launched on Apple Podcasts. “We love to watch what we read” is the slogan for this creative production that dives into readers’ favorite book-to-screen adaptations. Beginning with Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu, listen to Emma Shafer and Abbe Wrightchat with authors and insiders, including LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE author Celeste Ng herself, about the makings of a great adaptable book, why watching and reading are important self-care rituals, and more.

Brightly, our website dedicated to helping parents and educators find books and reading tips for every age and stage of a child’s life, has launched a new portal, Reading Through It Together, as Penguin Kids debuts LIVE Story Time Read Aloud, hosted online across Penguin Kids' Instagram and Facebook pages.

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” ― Pablo Neruda
The poet speaks the truth! The first day of Spring is tomorrow, March 19 It seems we could all use a breather and – always - more beauty in words. With flowers as our guide, please enjoy this Spring book bouquet of novels and memoirs for your seasonal reading:

To further encourage book reading, especially among students, and to support school and public libraries that are closed with the escalating CV-19 outbreak, Penguin Random House will discount the prices of the e-book and audio book titles sold through wholesalers to these institutions.
This discounting begins immediately and will be in effect for a 90-day period.

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is here, and it's a delicious one. This week, we're celebrating DINNER IN FRENCH, published by Clarkson Potter. In this cookbook, New York Times star food columnist Melissa Clark breaks down the new French classics with 150 recipes that reflect a modern yet distinctly French sensibility. Just as Julia Child brought French cooking to twentieth-century America, Melissa Clark brings French cooking into the twenty-first century.

After the day-long cascading news of disruptions emanating from the escalating impact of COVID-19, it was truly cheering to learn on Thursday night, that the prestigious National Book Critics Circle is honoring three of our titles as the "best" books published in 2019 in their respective categories.

Delacorte Press is launching a new original young adult trade paperback program, it was announced by Beverly Horowitz, Senior Vice President & Publisher, Delacorte Press. The titles, releasing monthly in both print and electronic formats beginning this spring, will be a mix of thriller, romance, and horror, published under a new paperback imprint called Underlined. It represents a collaboration between Delacorte Press and Underlined, the Random House Children’s Books online community for young adult books and creative writing. Wendy Loggia, Senior Executive Editor at Delacorte Press, will lead the publishing program.

Since joining Penguin Random House in January 2019, Dutton Executive EditorLindsey Rose has worked with a diverse range of authors, including Abi Daré, whose powerful voice-driven Nigeria-set debut THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE became an instant New York Times bestseller and #ReadWithJenna Today Show book club pick. Among Rose’s other authors and their books: Andrew Hunter Murray’s near-future thriller The Last Day; S.K Barnett’s twisty psychological suspense novel Safe; Ros Anderson’s deeply thoughtful feminist novel about the rise of artificial intelligence, The Hierarchies; David Klass’s fast-paced eco-thriller Out of Time; and #1 internationally bestselling author Tara Moss’s glamorous post-WWII historical novel The War Widow.
In this Three Questions for an Editor interview, Lindsey details the scope of her editorial approach, delves into the process of working with debut novelist Abi Daré, and shares why Dutton is best publishing home to ply her editorial trade.

"Every night my hands grasped the side of our ladder as my feet propelled me higher and higher, until I reached the top. In the dark, secured by my pillow, my blankie, and the quiet company of my little brother below, I was ready for sleep." - Diane Keaton, BROTHER & SISTER
As the New York Times bestselling memoir by Diane Keaton, BROTHER & SISTER, illustrates, the brother-sister relationship is unique - sometimes fraught with worry, envy, guilt and grief. Generally speaking, the bond between brother and sister is not as widely represented in film and literature as the bond between brothers or between sisters. With that in mind, this week we explore the brother-sister relationship as portrayed in the following books for adults and children:

Random House and Investigation Discovery, the #1 channel for women in America, today announced an exclusive partnership: the ID BOOK CLUB. Creating a storytelling experience that unites books with the small screen, the ID BOOK CLUB offers fans another avenue to immerse themselves in a high-stakes world of crime and justice. Featuring two new books published by Random House each quarter for fans to read and discuss online, all ID BOOK CLUB selections will be signified with a special book club seal. Pulling from its deep library of gripping, true-crime programming, ID will continually serve up corresponding content on its TV Everywhere platform, ID GO, while Random House has an enriching catalog of true crime, mystery and thriller titles for readers and viewers alike to further the reading experience.

Penguin Random House colleagues in the Denver area are invited to hear author Peter Heller discuss his most recent book THE RIVER (Knopf/Vintage) on Wednesday, March 11. This reading and book signing will be held at the Tattered Cover Bookstore (2526 East Colfax Avenue) beginning at 7:00 pm.

In her “Dear Reader” editor’s note that opens the galley of Glennon Doyle’s UNTAMED, The Dial Press Editorial DirectorWhitney Frickwrote, in part, “When a colleague at Random House finished reading UNTAMED, she said to me, ‘Whit, I turned the last page of this book and I felt like I could jump off the roof of the building and fly.’”

PRH staffers in the vicinity of D.C. are invited to attend a talk featuring two of our debut novelists, Doubleday authors Clare Beams and Emily Beyda. They will be discussing and signing their latest respective releases, THE ILLNESS LESSON and THE BODY DOUBLE, at Politics & Prose Bookstore @ Union Market (1270 5th Street NE) on Tuesday, March 10,beginning at 7:00 pm.

Celeste Ng, #1 New York Times bestselling author of LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE and EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU, has partnered with We Need Diverse Books, a national grassroots organization that advocates for diversity in children’s literature, to launch two new internship grants in adult publishing. These grants aim to make internships and the pathways to careers in publishing more accessible to those from diverse backgrounds.

"The book. Calming object. Held in the hand." ― Maira Kalman
Maira Kalman has done it again! With her latest illustrated edition, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS by Gertrude Stein, fans and newcomers are invited into a literary classic via the brilliant artistry of Maira Kalman! Kalman's palette, wit and whimsy are on full display in the books published by Penguin Random House. She has created books for all ages about artists, suffragists, American presidents, philosophy, dogs…even cake! THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS joins the library of Kalman's other illustrated classics such as those by Michael Pollan and Strunk and White. Find out more about her here and treat yourself to this absolutely delightful video of Maira Kalman as Alice B. Toklas.

Ace Atkins’New York Times bestselling thriller, SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL, previously published by Putnamas ROBERT B. PARKER’S WONDERLAND, has been adapted into a film, releasing on Netflix today, March 6. Mark Wahlberg stars as Spenser, an ex-cop sent to prison after being framed, with Alan Arkin playing alongside him as Henry Cimoli, Spenser’s longtime friend and old boxing coach, who needs his help. The film also stars Winston Duke as Hawk and Post Malone as Spenser’s prison inmate and nemesis.

The PEN/Faulkner Foundation has announced its 5-title shortlist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, featuring three books published by Penguin Random House imprints and one book published by a Penguin Random House Publisher Services publisher client.

Welcome March and Women’s History Month. In 1987, Congress designated the month of March “Women’s History Month.” While women’s rights and issues have continued to see progress, there is more to do. The Equal Rights Amendment has yet to become part of the United States Constitution. 2020 marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment and women’s constitutional right to vote. In an election year that has seen a record number of women make a bid for the presidency, it’s a good time to visit the past, present and future of women’s rights:

Of the five authors shortlisted for this year's J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, three are published by Penguin Random House imprints. This prestigious award – sponsored by the Nieman Foundation and Columbia Journalism School – recognizes outstanding nonfiction books that highlight issues of political or social concern in the U.S. The winner receives a $10,000 prize.

#1 New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box’s LONG RANGE, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons on March 3, is his 20th Joe Pickett novel. Mr. Box has written an intriguing new mystery in which our favorite Wyoming game warden must investigate an attempted murder committed from a confoundingly long distance. The search for the would-be assassin becomes personal when Joe’s best friend, Nate Romanowski – just as he’s adjusting to the arrival of his first child – is suspected of the crime. It’s a race against the clock as Joe tries to clear Nate’s name and identify the real shooter. Beset by threats both man-made and natural, the two men must go to great lengths to keep their loved ones safe.

PEN America, the U.S. chapter of the world’s leading international literary-human rights organization, announced the winners of its annual Literary Awards last night, March 2, at a ceremony in Manhattan. Yiyun Li won the 2020 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award for her novel, WHERE REASONS END, published by Random House in February 2019.

Penguin Random House Audio took home six awards at the 25th annual Audie Awards® last night, March 2, in Manhattan, including two Audies for Michelle Obama's BECOMING. PRH Audio won 4 more of these coveted annual peer prizes, sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association trade group.

The 2020 International Booker Prize longlist has been announced, and five of its thirteen titles have been published, or are forthcoming, from Penguin Random House imprints in the U.S. and the U.K. The prize annually awards one author and their translator £50,000 for their outstanding work of fiction. The shortlist for the prize will be announced on April 2, and the winner on May 19.

Penguin Random House employees and college basketball fans in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. are invited to attend an author event scheduled just in time for March Madness. Doubleday author John Feinstein will be discussing his latest book, THE BACK ROADS TO MARCH, on Monday, March 2 at the Politics and Prose Bookstore (5015 Connecticut Ave. NW). The event begins at 7:00 pm.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, whose courage and conviction as Prime Minister led Britain to an allied victory in the Second World War, is once-again part of our cultural conversation due to Erik Larson’s new book, THE SPLENDID AND THE VILE: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. To learn more about the full life of Winston Churchill, we’ve gathered many hours’ worth of fine reading about the visionary leader.

Edwidge Danticat has won The Story Prize for her short-fiction collection, EVERYTHING INSIDE(Alfred A. Knopf). Her 2005 book THE DEW BREAKER (Vintage) won the inaugural award competition, making her the first ever two-time winner of The Story Prize. At this year’s awards ceremony, held on Wednesday, February 26, at the New School in Manhattan, Danticat received $20,000 and an engraved silver bowl.

Jennifer Niven’s acclaimed New York Times bestselling book, ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES, has been adapted into a film, released globally on Netflix today, February 28. Elle Fanning portrays Violet Markey and Justice Smith plays Theodore Finch – two teens who find each other while standing on the edge. The film is directed by Brett Haley. Jennifer Niven and Liz Hannah penned the screenplay.

To our Bay Area colleagues: Don't miss out on the opportunity to hear Darra Goldstein discuss her latest book BEYOND THE NORTH WIND: Russia in Recipes and Lore (Ten Speed Press) in conversation with Margo True, the food editor at Sunset Magazine. The event will begin at 3:00 pm on Saturday, February 29 at Omnivore Books (3885a Cesar Chavez St.) in San Francisco.

This week’s headlines warn that the world could be on the brink of a coronavirus pandemic. As we try to stay informed, and monitor the latest updates, the following books serve to remind us that humans have confronted deadly viruses and epidemics throughout history:

The Nebula Awards annually recognize the best works of science fiction or fantasy published the previous year in the U.S. Three of our authors published by Penguin Random House imprints received nominations for their outstanding writing in the sci-fi/fantasy space.

Penguin Random House employees are invited to attend a discussion with authorSteven Levy. He will be discussing his new Blue Rider Press title,FACEBOOK: The Inside Story , with Issie Lapowsky, senior reporter for Protocol, on Thursday, February 27, at Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side (2289 Broadway) in Manhattan. The event will take place from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and seating will be available on a first come, first served basis.

The 51st NAACP Image Awards were presented during a nationally televised broadcast from Los Angeles on Saturday, February 22, with Penguin Random House authors Toni Morrison and Elaine Welteroth, as well as the film based on Bryan Stevenson’s JUST MERCY(Spiegel & Grau/Random House), among the winners. The NAACP Image Awards are considered by many to be our country’s preeminent recognition celebrating the accomplishments of people of color in the popular arts.

Do you feel intrigued, perplexed even overwhelmed by artificial intelligence and the role it plays in our lives and will in our future? If so, perhaps a foray into fiction about AI will alleviate, illuminate? AI’s possibilities have activated the imaginations of some of our most exciting writers. We recommend you program your weekend with these classic and contemporary, perhaps prescient, novels:

The finalists and honorees for the 40th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were announced this week, and 19 titles published by Penguin Random House imprints are nominees, and two authors on our lists are selected for special awards:

Rodale Kids, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, will publish WILD SYMPHONY, a picture book by Dan Brown, author of the New York Times bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code, it was announced by Barbara Marcus, President & Publisher, Random House Children’s Books. Brown’s debut picture book will be accompanied by his first official music release since his writing career began—a children’s classical music album that enhances the read-aloud into a multisensory experience for children and adults to listen to and read together. WILD SYMPHONY will release on September 1, 2020, with a first printing of 150,000 copies, and is set to publish in 27 countries and counting.

The International Association of Culinary Professionals has announced the finalists of its prestigious IACP awards, which recognize the very best food writing and publishing of the year. This year, Penguin Random House imprints received 27 nominations for books, authors, and editors from Ten Speed Press, Lorena Jones Books, Clarkson Potter Books, Alfred A. Knopf, Doubleday, and Random House as well as TASTE, our publisher-agnostic digital magazine. Ten Speed Press and Clarkson Potter continue to lead the industry with the most nominations of any publisher.
The winners will be selected at the annual IACP conference on Saturday, March 28 in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information visit: https://www.iacp.com/awards/2020-iacp-cuisinart-award-finalists/ Congratulations and good luck to all!

Our latest Igloo Book Buzz selection is Susan Fowler’s WHISTLEBLOWER: My Journey to Silicon Valley and Fight for Justice at Uber, published this week by Viking. Susan Fowler was just twenty-five years old when her blog post describing the sexual harassment and retaliation she’d experienced at Uber riveted the nation. Her post would eventually lead to the ousting of Uber’s CEO, but its ripples extended far beyond that, as her courageous choice to attach her name to the post inspired other women to speak publicly about their experiences.

“While utterly beautiful, endlessly varied, and thoroughly transfixing, language can also be frustrating, confusing, exasperating, and unforgiving.” ― Edward M. Hallowell, Driven to Distraction
As readers, we are always learning and this week we are getting specific about education in America. The following books include some of the latest and greatest in the category from experts in the field:

Colleagues in the vicinity of Los Angeles: don't miss this exciting event! Author Jenny Offill will be discussing her newest Knopf book, WEATHER, with Nate DiMeo, creator of the The Memory Palace podcast, on Wednesday, February 19, at Skylight Books (1818 N Vermont Ave.) in L.A. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. and will conclude with a Q&A and book signing.

The PEN/Faulkner Foundation has announced its 10-title longlist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, which includes three books published by Penguin Random House imprints and one book published by a Penguin Random House Publisher Services publisher client. The five finalists will be announced in March. The winner will be named in April and presented with a $15,000 prize at the 40th Annual PEN/Faulkner Award ceremony on Monday, May 4, in Washington, DC.

Colleagues who will be in the vicinity of our nation’s capital this weekend take note: author Melvin I. Urofsky is discussing his new Knopf book, THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PUZZLE, on Saturday, February 15, at Politics & Prose Bookstore (5015 Connecticut Ave. NW) in Washington, D.C. This free event begins at 6:00 p.m.

All Penguin Random House employees are invited to hear Simone St. James discuss her new Berkley thriller, THE SUN DOWN MOTEL, in conversation with fellow Berkley author Rachel Harrison. Abby Endler, creator of Crime by the Book, will be the moderator. The event takes place on Wednesday, February 19 at Barnes & Noble Upper West Side (2289 Broadway) from 7:00 to 9:00 pm and includes a book signing with the authors.

On Monday, February 17, we honor Presidents’ Day. Established in 1885, it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. As we reflect on American Presidents, past and present, the 2020 Presidential primary season is in full gear. We are of the opinion that your holiday weekend reading would be well-served by the following distinctive and notable collection of presidential literature.

Next month’s London Book Fair 2020 is unwavering in its admiration for the performance of Penguin Random House Audio U.S. In 2018, our Audio Group, under the leadership of Amanda D’Acierno, won the inaugural Audiobook Publisher of the Year prize, bestowed that spring at the London Book Fair International Excellence Awards. Two years later, PRH Audio is one of the two finalists for the 2020 Audiobook Publisher of the Year crown.

The yearly, nationally televised NAACP Image Awards are considered by many to be our country’s preeminent recognition celebrating the accomplishments of people of color in the popular arts. We are particularly proud of the numerous Penguin Random House authors who are past “Image” finalists and winners, among them: Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Maya Angelou, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Jacqueline Woodson, Marlon James, Terry McMillan, Walter Mosley, Bryan Stevenson, Daymond John, and Eric Jerome Dickey. In this year’s competition, we carry that tradition of excellence forward with our 11 finalists for “Outstanding Literary Works.”

HAIR LOVE, Matthew A. Cherry’s bestselling children’s book for Kokila that was conceived as an animated short film, won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at last night’s 92nd annual Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. A tender and empowering ode to loving your natural hair, and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere – HAIR LOVE was transformed into a bestselling children’s book, written by Cherry, a former NFL wide receiver, and illustrated by Vashti Harrison, published in May 2019 by Penguin Young Readers’ Kokila Books imprint.

Roll out the red carpet ...The 92nd Academy Awards show is this Sunday, with an exciting range of presenters, including Penguin Random House authors Diane Keaton, Steve Martin, Mindy Kaling, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Oscar buzz has been in the air for months. As is often the case, many of the nominees are films based on books or have book tie-ins, and many have already won awards this season. Movie fans, we invite you to complement your viewing with some cinematic reading.

Fresh from the thrilling Best Spoken Word Album Grammy win for BECOMING, Penguin Random House Audio has earned four of the six nominations for “Audiobook of the Year Audie.” The coveted annual peer awards are sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association trade group. In all, Penguin Random House Audio publishes 19 of the Audie finalists across multiple categories. Winners will be announced at the Audies Gala on March 2 in Manhattan.

Colleagues in the vicinity of Washington, D.C. take note: Rick Wilson is discussing his new Crown Forum book,RUNNING AGAINST THE DEVIL, on Tuesday, February 4, at Politics and Prose at The Wharf (70 District Square SW). This free event begins at 7:00 p.m. and will conclude with a book signing.

Penguin Random House colleagues are invited to meet and hear Jill Santopolo discuss her latest Putnam novel, MORE THAN WORDS, in conversation with Berkley author Laura Hankin (Happy and You Know It) on Tuesday, February 4, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at Barnes & Noble on the Upper West Side (2289 Broadway). Following a Q&A, there will be a book signing.

Hogarth author Claire Adam has won the 2019 Barnes & Noble Discover Prize for her debut novel GOLDEN CHILD. The prize has been awarded annually by the book retailer since 1990, and honors outstanding works from authors at the start of their careers.

With the recent popularity of Crazy Rich Asians ,The Farewell , and Parasite , talk of Hollywood and Asian-American representation is peaking. And this week, Pantheon published INTERIOR CHINATOWN by Charles Yu about which The Washington Post writes: ‘Interior Chinatown’ brilliantly skewers Hollywood typecasting.” The United States is home to nearly 20 million Asian Americans, according to Pew Research center. Along with Yu’s novel, the following acclaimed books are said to reflect aspects of their experience, fictionally:

Skip Dye, Senior V.P., Library Sales and Digital Strategy, led the Penguin Random House contingent attending the ALA meeting, and offers his overview: “We had a very productive and enjoyable ALA Midwinter meeting in Philadelphia, engaging with librarians from large and small communities across the country. It was a terrific opportunity for us to share our pride in and enthusiasm for our lists, and to reiterate to them how grateful we are for all they do to grow our authors’ readership through circulating their print, audio, and e-books to their patrons. As you have been reading in Igloo, dozens of our recently published children’s and adult titles have been bestowed 2020 prizes and honors by ALA-affiliated organizations. These recognitions are as exciting as the purchase orders pouring in for them from our library partners.”

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is C.J. Tudor’s THE OTHER PEOPLE, published by Ballantine Books. The author shares that the novel “is a story about a man searching for his daughter, a woman running to save her child and a mysterious group who want others to know the pain and loss that they do. They’re people seeking justice for their loved ones when they feel it has been denied. But that sort of justice comes at a price."

In addition to our Caldecott, Odyssey, Carnegie, and Printz recognized titles, some fifteen books published by Penguin Young Readers and Random House Children’s Books imprints have been selected by the ALA for Youth Media Awards bestowed to “books that matter” for younger readers.

New Year, new Penguin Random House books prizes. The 2020 literary awards calendar gets underway this week at the annual American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting, the occasion for bestowal of multiple coveted recognitions for admired children’s and adult books and audios, mostly published in the previous year.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s recording of her multi-million-copy #1 bestselling memoir BECOMINGhas won the 2020 Best Spoken Word Album GRAMMY Award®. Read in its entirety by its author, her audiobook, published in November 2018 by Penguin Random House Audio simultaneously with its Crown print and e-book editions, has spent fourteen consecutive months on the New York Times Audio Bestseller List—seven at #1. The 19-hour recording is produced by PRH Audio’s Senior Vice President, Content Production—and multi- GRAMMY Award® winner and nominee--Dan Zitt. Zitt also is a producer of this year’s Penguin Random House Audio GRAMMY® finalist BEASTIE BOYS BOOK.
This GRAMMY® is also a triumph for Penguin Random House Audio, whose imprints’ productions have been awarded the Best Spoken Word Album GRAMMY® three times in the last four years.

What could be more compelling than the story of a sole survivor? Think Tom Hanks in Castaway, or the true story of Ruben Van Assouw, the 9-year-old Dutch boy who was the only survivor of a 2010 plane crash in Libya. Ruben’s life inspired Ann Napolitano to write her novel DEAR EDWARD, published this month by The Dial Press. To accompany it, we offer some other standout fiction with sole survivor characters, beginning with a classic:

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is William Gibson’s AGENCY, published by Berkley. Gibson has trained his eye on the future for decades, ever since coining the term “cyberspace” and then popularizing it in his classic speculative novel Neuromancerin the early 1980s. His new science fiction thriller is heavily influenced by our most current events. Gibson recently spoke to The Guardian about the evolution of the book’s plot:

This week, the Jew­ish Book Coun­cil announced the win­ners of the 2019 Nation­al Jew­ish Book Awards, now in its six­ty-ninth year. Congratulations to all the winners – 7 books published by Penguin Random House imprints among them! Founded in 1944, The Jewish Book Council is the longest-running organization devoted exclusively to the support and celebration of Jewish literature. The win­ners will be hon­ored on March 17 at an awards din­ner and cer­e­mo­ny at the Bohemi­an Nation­al Hall in Man­hat­tan. Below are Penguin Random House’s award winners in adult and young reader categories:

On Monday, January 20, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. The holiday celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. It’s a time to commemorate the timeless values he exemplified – courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service – as well as the forgiveness and nonviolence that empowered his leadership. It’s especially important for the young to learn about Dr. King’s character and contributions and the power of words. We recommend the following books for education and inspiration for all ages.

Our first Igloo Book Buzz selection of 2020 is Ann Napolitano’s DEAR EDWARD, published by The Dial Press. The #ReadWithJenna Book Club January Pick, as featured on the Today show, this impactful page-turner takes on the question: What does it mean not just to survive, but to truly live? DEAR EDWARD is a transcendent coming-of-age story, a multidimensional portrait of an unforgettable cast of characters, and an illustration of all the ways a broken heart learns to love again.

JUST MERCY, Bryan Stevenson’s award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling Random House book, adapted into a major motion picture starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx, opens in theaters nationwide today.

National Bird Day - on January 5th - just flew by! Yet, it’s never too late to honor our beautiful, feathered cohabitants. Avian Welfare Coalition created National Bird Day to raise awareness of the plights of these important animals. Birds are often key species in an ecosystem, indicative of its health and vitality. Thus, we turn our figurative binoculars to books that help us learn and appreciate all that birds mean to our planet:

Kiley Reid’s SUCH A FUN AGE, published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, is a #1 Indie Next Pick, a LibraryReads Top Pick and Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine January Pick, announced last week by Reese Witherspoon, who commented, “This story is a beautiful conversation starter about race, privilege, work dynamics … I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!” Set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both, this searing, big-hearted debut novel for our times has generated high praise from many media outlets, including The New York Times Book Review, NPR, People, and Entertainment Weekly, which called it “the most provocative page-turner of the year.”
In our Three Questions for an Editor interview, Sally Kim, Vice President, Editor in Chief, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, shares how she discovered the author, what drew her to Reid’s writing style and thematic choices, the nature of the editorial process during the creation of this novel, and what aspects of SUCH A FUN AGE she thinks will resonate most strongly with readers.

Winners of the 2019 Costa Book Awards, one of the UK’s most prestigious and popular literary prizes, have been announced. The award in the Novel category went to Jonathan Coe, author of MIDDLE ENGLAND, published by Alfred A. Knopf in the US and Canada, and by Penguin in the UK. The Costa First Novel award was won by Sara Collins for The Confessions of Frannie Langton, published by Penguin in the UK.

CNN posits that “a decade is in part defined by its books.” Looking back at the 2010s, the cable news network picked 10 of the time-period’s most influential titles, noting, “These books are sexy, courageous, vulnerable and venerated. Many have been adapted into films, merchandise or Netflix specials. These are the printed works that most left their mark on the 2010s.”

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. - Helen Keller
Welcome 2020! As we begin a new decade, and reflect on the past 10 years, doesn’t it feel as if we have tenfold the possibilities? Striking while motivation is at its peak, we’ve surveyed the most popular New Year’s resolutions and offer a book apiece to help readers reach these 5 popular goals. Remember… progress, not perfection!

Bev Hood works in the Customer Service department at our Westminster distribution center and reached her 10-year anniversary in 2019. Her remarkable “Sabbatical Story” shows the importance of family and a supportive company such as Penguin Random House when a life challenge arises. Thank you for sharing, Bev.

With less than a week before Hanukkah and Christmas, perhaps you are feeling stumped about what to get someone on your list? Bookstores make the best one-stop shops. Before you go, check out these recommendations: One book each in 15 categories sure to please their recipients:

Gütersloh, New York, London, December 18, 2019 – Bertelsmann is acquiring the remaining 25-percent stake in Penguin Random House from the British media company Pearson, making it the sole owner of the book publishing group.

Bertelsmann to become sole owner of the world's biggest trade publishing group

Acquisition of 25-percent stake from co-shareholder Pearson for
US$ 675 million

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” or so the song says. Indeed, merriment abounds in December as we gather for holiday parties and exchange gifts with friends, family, teachers and colleagues. Christmas trees, decorations and lights are beautifying city and town squares, lobbies and homes. There’s cookie baking, Latke-making and shipping galore! Menorah candles will be lit on the first night of Hanukkah, December 22nd and for eight days until December 30th. The excitement of children is infectious as stories and traditions of Christmas and Hanukkah are shared. To add to the holiday spirit, we offer the following festive titles for adults and kids:

This year, Riverhead Books’ annual holiday party raised a total of $3,300 for One Moore Book, a nonprofit that publishes children’s books and promotes literacy in underrepresented cultures, founded by author Wayétu Moore. Guests from the media and publishing industry poured into Littlefield to enjoy a Riverhead Rumdeer, dance to holiday music, and enter a raffle to win an Alamo Drafthouse gift card, a challah baking class at Breads Bakery, products from skincare brand Skyn Iceland, wine from Le Grand Courtâge, and many other prizes generously donated by the party’s sponsors.

PEN America has announced the longlists for its 2020 Literary Awards in the categories of debut novel, debut short story collection, diversity, essay, biography, science writing, and translation. Among the longlisted books are 20 titles published by Penguin Random House imprints and Penguin Random House Publisher Services publisher clients.

Our special Happy Holidays Igloo Book Buzz selection is MARTHA STEWART’S COOKIE PERFECTION, published by Clarkson Potter. The editors of Martha Stewart Living present a new, fun source for anyone looking to make their go-to cookies even better and bolder. These recipes make ordinary cookies absolutely extraordinary – all the familiar favorites you love, but taken up a notch in variety, flavor, and creativity. Two of the book’s most popular holiday-themed recipes – Glazed Spiced Snowflakes and Honey-Spice Gingerbread Townhouses – are featured below for easy access.

Did you hear? The word of the year is “They.” Merriam-Webster announced this week that it has chosen “they” as the 2019 word of the year. The singular “they” is a pronoun commonly used by someone who identifies their gender as nonbinary, a word that itself was added to the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary in September of this year. To celebrate this recognition we’ve put together fiction and nonfiction by and about those who defy the gender binary:

This week’s Igloo Book Buzz selection is Jimmy Kimmel’sTHE SERIOUS GOOSE (Random House Books for Young Readers), #1 on The New York Times Children's Picture Books bestseller list. The late-night host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! wrote, illustrated and lettered his delightfully original, fun and funny picture book, challenging young readers to bring the silly out of a very Serious Goose, reminding us all to be silly in a very serious way.

Enter the fandom! 2019 has been another genre-defying year for the graphic novel/memoir. As works of art, literature, and pop-culture the following bestselling titles satisfy a broad realm of readers and interests:

Greta Thunberg is TIME magazine’s 2019 Person of the Year. This is the first time the publication has bestowed the highly regarded honor on a teenager, making the 16-year-old Swedish climate change activist its youngest ever Person of the Year. TIME notes: “Thunberg is not a leader of any political party or advocacy group. She is neither the first to sound the alarm about the climate crisis nor the most qualified to fix it. She is not a scientist or a politician. She has no access to traditional levers of influence: she’s not a billionaire or a princess, a pop star or even an adult. She is an ordinary teenage girl who, in summoning the courage to speak truth to power, became the icon of a generation. By clarifying an abstract danger with piercing outrage, Thunberg became the most compelling voice on the most important issue facing the planet.” To read TIME’s 2019 Person of the Year cover story, click here.

Penguin Random House employees are invited to meet author Mikki Kendalland hear her talk about her new Ten Speed Press book, AMAZONS, ABOLITIONISTS, AND ACTIVISTS: A Graphic History of Women's Fight for Their Rights, illustrated by A. D'Amico, Wednesday, December 11, at the Strand Bookstore (828 Broadway) in Manhattan. Kendall will be in conversation with N. K. Jemisin, author of speculative fiction short stories and novels. This event, which includes a book signing, will be in the Rare Book Room and begins at 7:00 pm.

Penguin Random House Canada has been recognized as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers for 2020. The accolade, given annually for the past fourteen years through Canada's Top 100 Employers to companies that set the standard for workplace best practices and forward-thinking policies, is awarded based on a rigorous evaluation of criteria ranging from employee benefits, vacation, and time off to work atmosphere to community involvement. Now in its 20th year, Canada's Top 100 Employers project is the nation's largest competition of its kind.

Dutton has announced the addition of two new bestselling authors to the Dutton list: Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of contemporary women’s fiction, most notably The Shoemaker’s Wife and the Big Stone Gap series, and Denise Kiernan, author of critically acclaimed bestsellers The Last Castle and The Girls of Atomic City. The Associated Press ran an exclusive on the Trigiani announcement and her desire to be re-united with Executive Editor Maya Ziv, and CNN’s Reliable Sources ran a separate exclusive on the Kiernan acquisition, which Editor in Chief John Parsleywill be editing, with CNN’s Brian Stelter saying, “Whatever Denise Kiernan writes, I want to read.”

Our society is much more interested in information than wonder, in noise rather than silence...And I feel that we need a lot more wonder and a lot more silence in our lives – Fred Rogers
What the world needs now is Mister Rogers! Fred Rogers was a musician, puppeteer, writer, producer, and Presbyterian minister. He was also the creator, showrunner and host of the preschool television series, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which ran from 1968 to 2001. Although he passed away in 2003, Fred Rogers’ legacy is thriving as is evident by the popularity of last year’s documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor? and this Fall’s hit movie A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers. Mister Rogers’ kindness, wisdom and respect for children’s feelings transcend time and generations. Here are some books that celebrate life and help us cope during difficult times:

Broadway Books Trade Paperback, an imprint of the Random House Group, will publish THE IMPEACHMENT REPORT: The House Intelligence Committee’s Report on its Investigation into Donald Trump and Ukraine, with a foreword by #1 New York Times bestselling author Jon Meacham, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, on Tuesday, December 17th, with the E-book edition available on Friday, December 13th. A Penguin Random House Audiobook, featuring Mr. Meacham recording his foreword and additional narrators, will be available for download on Tuesday, December 10th.

Thanksgiving has come and gone. We’ve survived Black Friday crowds and the frenzy of Cyber Monday emails. Perhaps you shopped local on Small Business Saturday and gave on Giving Tuesday. What does Wednesday hold in store? We’ve decided to get a jump on New Year, New You as we marvel at stories of those who live to be 100 and older. What is their secret to longevity? The following books investigate that query and will help you take the long view, too – often in delicious fashion!

Penguin Random Houseis committed to supporting bookstores, which provide a source of community, information, and imagination. This year, we are partnering with the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc) on their year-end fundraising campaign, which launched on Small Business Saturday, November 30. To double the power and impact of individual donations, Penguin Random House is matching all donations made to Binc through December 31, 2019.

Few childhood events evoke as much nostalgia as the elementary school book fair. Decades beyond student-hood, many adults still pine for the days when their school libraries, auditoriums, and gyms transformed into pop-up shops filled with books, pencils, Gelly Roll pens, erasers, and more.
Penguin Random House captured that unmistakable, magical feeling at our first-ever Book Fair for Grownups on Saturday, November 23, at Lightbox in New York City.

Here are the five Penguin Random House titles selected by the editors of the New York Times Book Review for “The 25 Best Children’s Books of 2019.”
Now online, the complete list is published in the TBR’s December 8 print edition.

Today, Penguin Random House joins with Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama to announce that the company will donate an additional 300,000 children’s books to First Book, building upon its previously announced donation of one million of its children’s books to First Book in the Obama family’s name. Plans for the one million donation were originally announced in 2017 when Penguin Random House acquired world publication rights to publish books by President and Mrs. Obama.

Colleagues with children, who live in or near Nassau County, New York, looking for a special Thanksgiving weekend activity, you’re invited to experience New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jan Brett at Barnes & Noble, Country Glen Center (91 Old Country Road) in Carle Place, on Saturday, November 30. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., Jan will be reading from her latest illustrated children's book, THE TALE OF THE TIGER SLIPPERS, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving – a time when many will be gathering with family and friends for a feast. The original American holiday, Thanksgiving is also a time for connecting with, and serving, our communities as we reflect on what we are grateful for in our lives. With this in mind, we give thanks for this harvest of books for children and adults:

Reversing its customary order of presentation, following the previous unveiling of this year’s “10 Best Books,” the New York Times Book Review has posted its list of “100 Notable Books of 2019” selected by its editors across the Adult Fiction & Poetry and Nonfiction categories. Nearly half the list---45 titles---are ours, our highest collective total ever.

This week’s Igloo Book Buzz selection isTOM BROWN’S GUIDE TO HEALING THE EARTH, published by Berkley on November 26. Tom Brown, Jr., acclaimed outdoorsman, tracker, teacher, and bestselling author, learned to respect nature as a child. When he was eight, Brown met Stalking Wolf, an Apache elder he called Grandfather, who taught the young man how to survive in the wild, and more importantly, how to value our place in the natural order. For more than three decades, Brown has shared these insights through teaching, writing, and film. In his new book, he has detailed actions that each of us can take to help heal our ailing planet.

Penguin Random House and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) have announced the recipients of the 2019 National Teacher Award for Lifelong Readers and 2019 Maya Angelou Teacher Award for Poetry. These awards recognize the nation’s most dynamic and resourceful teachers who use their creativity to inspire and successfully instill a lifelong love of reading and poetry in students. The Penguin Random House Teacher Awards for Literacy began in 2012 and have awarded more than $170,000 teacher grants to date. This is the first year the awards have been administered by both organizations.

The New York Times Book Review has just announced its "10 Best Books of 2019":
Five of them are by our authors.
The complete list is published online, and will appear in the publication's print edition next month.

“If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe.”- Carl Sagan
It’s about to be your lucky pie-day! While Carl Sagan rightly connects the universe with pie, making a tasty pie isn’t as cosmically weighty as all that – though there is a science to it for sure! If you are on deck for bringing pie to Thanksgiving you may want to test out some recipes this weekend. Below you’ll find beautiful books full of sweet and savory pies that will make everyone grateful and slicing seconds for themselves:

"Who but Obama could narrate the story of her life? With impeccable pacing, the former First Lady's warm reading immediately pulls listeners close for what feels like an intimate chat with a friend..." -- Booklist.

With Ukraine in the news on a daily basis, we thought it apt to turn our curatorial eye to the tumultuous country – the second largest in Europe – to provide context in history, memoir, poetry and fiction:

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is YES WE DID: Photos and Behind-the-Scenes Stories Celebrating Our First African American President by Lawrence Jackson and published by TarcherPerigee. When Mr. Jackson took the job as White House photographer in early 2009, he knew he’d have a front row seat to history. What he didn’t expect was the deep personal connection he would feel, as a fellow African American, with the President of the United States. YES WE DID is a celebration of the most inclusive and representative White House in history – where in between momentous and pivotal decisions, the President and First Lady opened the doors of the People’s House to schoolkids, athletes, senior citizens, hip-hop artists, and more.

BECOMING: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice, a companion to former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama‘s critically acclaimed and internationally bestselling memoir, BECOMING, is being published on November 19 by Clarkson Potterin the U.S. and Canada. A Spanish language edition titled BECOMING: Un Diario Guiado is being published by Plaza & Janes/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial.

The holiday festivities started early on Thursday, November 14, when Random House Special Events hosted an evening where bookworms, foodies, and spirited beverage enthusiasts united at The New School in New York City. Hundreds of audience members gathered at “Holiday House” to hear directly from our authors for recipes, book recommendations, and thoughtful conversations, to make this year’s holiday season the best one yet.

Penguin Random House, in partnership with Special Olympics and the American Library Association, is participating in a pilot program that supports Special Olympics Young Athletes through a donation of 1,000 children’s books: 500 copies each of WE’RE ALL WONDERS by R.J. Palacio and THE SNEETCHES by Dr. Seuss. These titles will contribute to efforts that bring inclusive learning and play to communities across the country through local libraries.

November is National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is a nonprofit organization that, according to a New York Times piece earlier this month, enlists professional writers like Jasmine Guillory (whose debut novel THE WEDDING DATE came out of the creative challenge), Anne Lamott, and Rainbow Rowell to write pep talks for participants. NaNoWriMo’s executive director, Grant Faulkner, describes it as “one part writing boot camp, one part rollicking party.”
Writing a novel is a brave, imaginative endeavor and National Novel Writing Month is all the more reason to celebrate first-time novelists published this year. The following debut novels span genres and settings, and each has received widespread praise from reviewers, librarians, booksellers and readers:

TIME Magazine editors have selected the ten best fiction books and ten best nonfiction books published during the years from 2010 through 2019, with 6 of the fiction titles and 8 of the nonfiction titles published by Penguin Random House imprints.

Margaret Atwood’s THE TESTAMENTS (Nan A. Talese/Doubleday), winner of this year’s Booker Prize, has been named Best Book of 2019 by Amazon. Ms. Atwood commented, “I’m Canadian, where modesty is a requirement. So I’m mildly embarrassed, though absolutely delighted, to hear that the Amazon editorial team has chosen THE TESTAMENTS as their book of the year. While I'm no prophet, we seem doomed to live in stressful times. A tale of hope and courage narrated by three strong female voices appears to have connected to this crucial 2019 moment."

In the spirit of the coming holiday season, our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is THE LAST COURSE, published by Random House on November 12. Hailed as “the greatest dessert book in the history of the world” by Bon Appétit, a beautiful new edition features 175 timeless recipes from Claudia Fleming, a renowned name in the pastry world, acclaimed for having set an industrywide standard at New York City’s Gramercy Tavern with her James Beard Award–winning desserts. Beautifully illustrated with more than eighty color photographs throughout, THE LAST COURSE is a timeless collection filled with original recipes that will inspire dessert enthusiasts everywhere.

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. - Benjamin Franklin
Avid readers are life-long learners by nature and this week we are focused on “learning” in myriad ways, geared toward personal and professional growth. Be it self-discovery, building empathy or understanding the actual process of learning from scientific research, the following books have much to offer the inquiring, receptive mind:

Harriet, the new movie based on the inspirational life of the iconic freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, is in theaters nationwide and has been receiving a lot of attention. It offers a new generation the chance to honor the abolitionist who led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom along the route of the Underground Railroad. To satisfy current interest in Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad we have curated the following books for adults and young readers alike.

Oprah Winfrey has announced that her latest Oprah’s Book Club pick is Elizabeth Strout’s OLIVE, AGAIN, published by Random House. The selection was revealed on CBS This Morning. To watch the segment, click here.

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is Erin Morgenstern’s THE STARLESS SEA, published by Doubleday on November 5. The New York Times bestselling author of THE NIGHT CIRCUS tells a timeless love story set in a secret underground world—a place of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, and ships that sail upon a starless sea.

November is National American Indian Heritage Month designated as such by President George W. Bush in 1990. The Library of Congress, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and other cultural centers join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
In commemoration of the people that were the original settlers of this land, we present the following books that celebrate native culture and offer fresh perspectives in fiction and nonfiction, including art and cooking, for all ages.

DK Eyewitness Travel has released a brand new edition of WHERE TO GO WHEN: Unforgettable Trips for Every Month, the ultimate vacation planner, showcasing the most amazing places in the world and the best time of year to see them. This book combines a detailed narrative with sumptuous photography to bring to life over 100 destinations across the globe – discover when and where to explore Costa Rica’s rainforests, journey into the clouds in Nepal, sail between Croatia’s cypress-clad islands, or gaze at the saw-toothed crags of Canada’s Rocky Mountains. To help you choose your destination, the clear layout features an array of exciting places and experiences for every month, and suggests an alternative time to visit if you’re unable to make that month. So whether you’re looking for rest and relaxation or active adventures, WHERE TO GO WHEN makes finding special spots around the globe easier than ever.

The 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction six-title shortlist has been announced and includes 4 books published by Penguin Random House imprints. Established by the American Library Association in 2012, the Carnegie Medals for Excellence serve as an ALA guide to help adults select quality reading material.

“At the Heyday Lounge the horsemen think they are the only gamblers. They file in each morning, their shoes dusty and their pockets jangling with coins, like parishioners.” So begins Shannon Pufahl’s powerful and moving, beautifully written debut novel, ON SWIFT HORSES, published by Riverhead Books today, Tuesday, November 5. Set in the burgeoning 1950s post-World War II West, shifting between San Diego, Las Vegas, and Tijuana, inside desert casinos, suburban racetracks, and transient dives, this is a story of love and luck, of two outsiders torn between the constraints of convention and the demands of their private selves, as they try to find their place in a country that is coming apart even as it promises them everything.
In this “Meet Our Author” interview, Pufahl reveals the origins behind the primary characters and main themes of her novel, shares insights into her approach to writing, and talks about what aspects of ON SWIFT HORSES she hopes will resonate with readers.

Reese Witherspoon has selected Jojo Moyes’ THE GIVER OF STARS, published by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, as her November pick for Reese’s Book Club. Witherspoon offered high praise on her Hello Sunshine website:

To kick off the season of giving while also celebrating National Family Literacy Month, Penguin Random Houseis once again teaming up with zulily, the online retailer dedicated to bringing special finds to its customers every day, to help provide books to children in need across the U.S.

Dear Humans… the subject today is the body. Taking our cue from Bill Bryson’s lauded new book, THE BODY: A GUIDE FOR OCCUPANTS, we invite you to get to know your corporeal self a bit better with the following titles:

Christoper McDougall, author of RUNNING WITH SHERMAN: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero, published by Knopf earlier this month, is participating in a 5K run and special event tonight, Wednesday, October 30. The run will begin at WORD bookstore in Brooklyn (126 Franklin St.), with runners free to arrive any time between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, when the run starts. The course winds through Williamsburg to the Wythe Hotel @ 80 Wythe Ave., where there will be a post-run author conversation with Knox Robinson, a book signing, prize giveaway, and a party.

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is THE BEAUTIFUL ONESby Prince, published today, Tuesday, October 29, by Spiegel & Grau/Random House. This highly-anticipated release is a brilliant coming-of-age-and-into-superstardom story of one of the greatest artists of all time, in his own words—featuring never-before-seen photos, original scrapbooks and lyric sheets, and the exquisite memoir Prince began writing before his tragic death. Much more than a tribute to an icon, this book is an original and energizing literary work in its own right, full of Prince’s ideas and vision, his voice and image—his undying gift to the world.

You’re invited to a special evening with Pantheon author David Heatley for a discussion of this new book, QUALIFICATION: A Graphic Memoir in 12 Steps, on Wednesday, October 30, at PowerHouse Arena (28 Adams Street) in Brooklyn. Heatley will be in conversation with fellow Penguin Random House author and graphic artist Liana Finck. This free access event, first come, first seated, begins at 7:00 p.m.

Calling all PRH colleagues based in Colorado: if you are a person fascinated by the wonders of planet Earth, you will have the opportunity to learn about the new Putnam book, FOR SMALL CREATURES SUCH AS WE: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World, from author Sasha Sagan. She will be in conversation with writer and TV host Saralyn Ward at the Boulder Book Store on Tuesday, October 29. This event begins at 7:30 PM, with a book signing following a Q&A with attendees.

Colson Whitehead's novel, THE NICKEL BOYS, published by Doubleday this summer, has won the 2019 Kirkus Prize for Fiction, it was announced by the trade publication Kirkus Reviews at a ceremony in Austin, Texas on Thursday, October 24.

Colleagues with children looking for a daytime weekend activity in Brooklyn take note: Dial Books for Young Readers author Abdul-Razak Zachariah will be discussing and reading from his book, THE NIGHT IS YOURS, on Saturday, October 26, for Storytime at Books Are Magic (225 Smith Street), beginning at 11:00 AM, and on Sunday, October 27, for Storytime at Greenlight Books (Prospect Lefferts Gardens location, 632 Flatbush Avenue), beginning at 11:30 AM, and for Storytime at Greenlight Books (Fort Greene location, 686 Fulton Street), beginning at 1:30 PM.

Christoper McDougall, author of RUNNING WITH SHERMAN: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero, published by Knopf earlier this month, is participating in a 5K run and special event on Wednesday, October 30. The run will begin at WORD bookstore in Brooklyn (126 Franklin St.), with runners free to arrive any time between 5:00 and 6:00 pm, when the run starts. The course winds through Williamsburg to the Wythe Hotel @ 80 Wythe Ave., where there will be a post-run author conversation with Knox Robinson, a book signing, prize giveaway, and a party.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month - established in 2006 by Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center which “actively leads social change, so that bullying is no longer considered an accepted childhood rite of passage.” National Bullying Prevention Month recognizes bullying as a serious community issue that impacts education, physical and emotional health, and the safety and well-being of students. For ideas, events and resources visit: www.stopbullying.gov. To help parents and children avoid and overcome bullying, we offer the following fiction and nonfiction for parents, educators, children and teens:

Alison Roman’s NOTHING FANCY: Unfussy Food for Having People Over, published by Clarkson Potter today, Tuesday, October 22, is the book you want to have on hand for an unexpected weeknight meal with a neighbor or a weekend dinner party with fifteen of your closest friends—either way and everywhere in between; having people over is supposed to be fun, not stressful. This abundant collection of all-new recipes—heavy on the easy-to-execute vegetables and versatile grains, paying lots of close attention to crunchy, salty snacks, and with love for all the meats—is for gatherings big and small, any day of the week.
In this Three Questions for an Editor Igloo interview, Doris Cooper, SVP & Editor in Chief, Clarkson Potter, talks about how this book came to be, the nature of their editor-author process, and the ways in which she thinks NOTHING FANCY will resonate with readers.

Furthering its mission to inspire teachers and learners with outstanding books, Penguin Random House Educationannounces the launch of a new website specifically designed and built for elementary educators.

Hannah Hart, YouTuber, entertainer and New York Times bestselling author, will celebrate her new book MY DRUNK KITCHEN HOLIDAYS! (on sale from Plume on October 22) at an event at Murmrr Ballroom (17 East Parkway, Brooklyn) with Community Bookstore on Tuesday, October 22, beginning at 7:30 PM. Hart will be in conversation with fellow entertainers Mamrie Hart & Grace Helbig. General admission tickets (without a book) are $15 each and book-bundled tickets (includes copy of the book) are $38 each. Doors open at 6:30 PM.

Today, Friday, October 18, is Alaska Day - a legal holiday in the U.S. state of Alaska celebrating the anniversary of the formal transfer of the Territory of Alaska from Russia to the United States, which occurred on Friday, October 18, 1867. To honor the majestic 49th state, we’ve surveyed our catalog for the best fiction and nonfiction (for all ages) set in Alaska. We invite you to take a reading tour through Alaska’s history, culture and singular landscape along with the fiction it has inspired:

Have you heard? It’s TeenTober! YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) has just launched this new, nationwide celebration hosted by libraries every October that “aims to celebrate teens… and fuel their passions in and outside the library.” TeenTober replaces YALSA’s previous Teen Read Week™ and Teen Tech Week™. Visit YALSA for more information and your library for special programs. Here are Penguin Random House’s “Top 12 Teen Titles” for October - bestselling Young Adult fiction and nonfiction for teens and adults who enjoy reading about them:

Goddard Riverside has announced its Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice six-title shortlist, which includes AN AMERICAN SUMMER: Love and Death in Chicagoby Alex Kotlowitz, published in May 2019 by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday. This award, now in its third year, is named after Stephan Russo, who served as executive director of Goddard Riverside from 1998 to 2017. and celebrates the power of the written word to create change in the name of justice for all.

As her fiftieth birthday approached, Rachael Ray, the woman who taught America how to get dinner on the table, fast, started thinking not just about what to cook that night, but how her passion for food and feeding people had developed over her first fifty years. In RACHAEL RAY 50: Memories and Meals From a Sweet and Savory Life, published by Ballantine Books on October 15, Ray opens up about the most memorable moments of her life in this candid memoir-inspired cookbook featuring 125 all-new recipes. The book’s pages are also filled with gorgeous food photography, personal photos, and Rachael’s own hand-drawn illustrations, offering a revealing and intimate glimpse into her world and her every day inspiration.
In this “Three Questions for an Editor” interview, Ballantine Executive EditorPamela Cannon opens a window into the genesis of this book, the editor/author process involved in working with Ms. Ray, and what about RACHAEL RAY 50 she thinks will resonate most strongly with readers.

Great joy out of London: For the first time since 1992, the Booker Prize has been awarded jointly, and its 2019 winners are both Penguin Random House authors:
Margaret Atwood's THE TESTAMENTS and Bernardine Evaristo's GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER.

The brand-new CRAFTED x Riverhead event series debuted last week with Sip & Stitch! A room of 40+ booklovers embroidered custom patterns, talked books, and enjoyed delicious drinks and food courtesy of Le Grand Courtage and City Bakery. Sip & Stitch guests received an embroidery starter kit, featuring one of three designed stitching patterns inspired by the iconic Riverhead Tote, CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert, and RED AT THE BONE by Jacqueline Woodson. After mingling in the gorgeous lululemon SoHo community space, guests sat down for a quick tutorial on a few stitches and were encouraged to get creative with their designs. A major highlight of the night was hanging out with beloved author Elizabeth Gilbert, pictured below with some of the participants.

Viking has announced the publication date of April 28, 2020 for Sue Monk Kidd’s next novel, THE BOOK OF LONGINGS. “I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus.” So begins the new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES and THE INVENTION OF WINGS, an extraordinary story set in the first century about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny in a time of great despair and great hope.

Olga Tokarczuk is the newest Nobel Prize winner to join the more than 80 previous laureates, most recently Kazuo Ishiguro, Alice Munro, Orhan Pamuk, and Toni Morrison, published by current and predecessor Penguin Random House imprints.

"We need to uphold the equal rights, voices and influence of girls in our families, communities and nations. Girls can be powerful agents of change, and nothing should keep them from participating fully in all areas of life." — UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Every year on October 11, the International Day of the Girl, UNICEF works with girls to amplify their voices and stand up for their rights. This year, under the theme, “GirlForce: Unscripted and unstoppable”, we celebrate achievements by, with and for girls!

LASAGNA: A Baked Pasta Cookbookwas named Bon Appetit’s “Cookbook of the Month” for October 2019. By Anna Hezel and the editors of TASTE, “the online magazine for people who love to cook,” this Clarkson Potter title has something for everyone: whether you’re craving a meatball lasagna, keeping it simple with a slow cooker spinach lasagna, or hosting brunch with an eggy carbonara lasagna that shouts “Hello!” from the center of the table.

This year, Yom Kippur commenced on October 8, at sundown and will end on October 9, at sundown. Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement—is considered the most important holiday in the Jewish faith and is observed with a 25-hour fast and a special religious service. Yom Kippur is the culmination of the Ten Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. According to tradition, it is on Yom Kippur that God decides each person’s fate, so Jews are encouraged to make amends and ask forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are known as Judaism’s “High Holy Days.” In honor of the holiday, we invite you to explore the following titles:

BECOMING: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice, a companion to former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama’s critically acclaimed and internationally bestselling memoir, BECOMING, will be published in the U.S. and Canada on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House. A Spanish language edition titled BECOMING: Un Diario Guiado will be published by Plaza & Janes/Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial. The BECOMING journal will have a first printing of 500,000 copies.

Autumn is finally here, which means falling leaves, cozy sweaters, and most importantly, a whole new crop of fantastic books. Our US CEO, Madeline McIntosh, has shared some of her recommendations for the season’s greatest reads.

Have you noticed the seasonal shift as we enter into Fall? The crisp morning air, the leaves beginning to turn and the changing light? High school football season is turning on the Friday night lights, but our play this week is Friday Reads “Light” because of all the literary luminaries falling into sight!

Bill Gates is writing a book about energy and climate change that will be published by Doubleday in June 2020. With this new book, HOW TO AVOID A CLIMATE DISASTER: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, Gates seeks to share what he’s learned in over a decade of studying climate change and investing in innovations to address the problems. He will set out a vision for how the world can work to build the tools it needs to get to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Anthony Chirico, President of the Knopf Doubleday Group, acquired world rights to the book from Michael I. Rudell of Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo.

Philip Pullman fans everywhere are celebrating the arrival of THE SECRET COMMONWEALTH, the second volume of Pullman’s new bestselling trilogy The Book of Dust, on sale today from Alfred A. Knopf BFYR. This book marks the return to the parallel world of Pullman’s masterwork The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, Book 1).

Jim Carrey has written a novel, MEMOIRS AND MISINFORMATION, that will be published by Alfred A. Knopf in May 2020. Carrey wrote the book in collaboration with novelist Dana Vachon. Knopf acquired world rights from David Kuhn at Aevitas Creative Management. The novel will be published by Knopf in hardcover and eBook, and by Penguin Random House Audio, on May 5, 2020.

All Penguin Random House employees are invited to see and hear Zadie Smith discuss her new collection of short stories, GRAND UNION—on sale from Penguin Press on October 8—at Barnes & Noble at Union Square on October 8. The event begins at 7:00 PM. Tickets include a copy of GRAND UNION and may be purchased here. Zadie will be joined in conversation with Vinson Cunningham of The New Yorker. After the program, she will sign books.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual campaign, symbolized by pink ribbons, to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. Please find below a selection of some of the best books Penguin Random House publishes to educate and support those confronting breast cancer.

After nurturing the New York Times bestselling novel, WONDER, into a sleeper hit and box office phenomenon that grossed more than $305 million worldwide, global content leader Lionsgate is developing bestselling author R.J. Palacio's forthcoming graphic novel WHITE BIRD: A Wonder Story into a feature film. Mandeville Films’ David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman produced WONDER alongside Palacio, and the three are joining forces again to produce the new feature film. The acquisition was announced today by Nathan Kahane, President of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.

The most popular, provocative, and unforgettable essays from the past fifteen years of Daniel Jones’s New York Times “Modern Love” column are featured in the revised and updated, media tie-in edition of MODERN LOVE: True Stories of Love, Loss and Redemption, on sale from Broadway Books on October 1 (also available as a trade paperback). There are contributions from Andrew Rannells, Ayelet Waldman, Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Veronica Chambers, among others, with stories from the upcoming anthology series – which starts streaming via Amazon Prime beginning on October 15 – starring Tina Fey, Andy Garcia, Anne Hathaway, Catherine Keener, Dev Patel, and John Slattery.

Colleagues in the Washington, D.C. area take note: Adam Grant and Allison Sweet Grant will be discussing their new book THE GIFT INSIDE THE BOX(Dial Books for Young Readers) in conversation with Daniel H. Pink on Wednesday, October 2, at a Politics & Prose event at Sidwell Friends Meeting House (3825 Wisconsin Avenue NW). The evening is themed “On Generosity” and begins at 7:00 pm. For ticket information, click here.

Two Penguin Random House authors, Valeria Luiselliand Ocean Vuong, have been named 2019 MacArthur Fellows. This prestigious fellowship (often referred to as the “Genuis Grant”) from the MacArthur Foundation honors “talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits” and comes with a no-strings-attached grant of $625,000.

"It's been proven by quite a few studies that plants are good for our psychological development. If you green an area, the rate of crime goes down. Torture victims begin to recover when they spend time outside in a garden with flowers. So we need them, in some deep psychological sense.... " - Jane Goodall

BILL CUNNINGHAM: On the Street, published by Clarkson Potter, debuted as a New York Times bestseller earlier this month and represents the first published collection of photographs by the icon of street style, bringing together favorites published in The New York Times alongside never-before-seen work across five decades.

In writing her new book, FASHIONOPOLIS: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes,Penguin Press author Dana Thomas delved into how the apparel trade has exploited labor, the environment, and intellectual property, with the simultaneous unfurling of fast fashion, globalization, and the tech revolution. She also traveled the world to discover the visionary designers and companies who are propelling the industry toward a more positive future by reclaiming traditional craft and launching cutting-edge sustainable technologies to produce better fashion.

This week’s Igloo Book Buzz selection is Patti Smith’sYEAR OF THE MONKEY, published by Knopfon September 24. A profound, beautifully realized memoir in which dreams and reality are vividly woven into a tapestry of one transformative year, Patti Smith says, “YEAR OF THE MONKEY traces my personal experience of 2016, the lunar year of the monkey, through the lenses of travel, dream and imagination. I decided on New Year’s Day to write consistently as I traveled, and it expanded into a somewhat experimental narrative, merging my life concerns with waking dream and fiction.”

Last week millions took part in a global strike focused on climate change and this week the United Nations has convened in New York for its second Climate Action Summit — five years after the first in 2014. The event coincides with the U.N General Assembly as well as the start of Climate Week NYC. In support of this important week-long initiative, our PRH Sustainability Subcommittee (part of our Social Impact Committee) has been hosting a variety of internal events for employees. Climate activist Greta Thunberg told thousands of school strikers in Manhattan: “We are not just some young people skipping school…We are a wave of change.” Thunberg’s impassioned speech to the United Nations General Assembly is being shared widely. In support of addressing the realities and myriad issues of climate change, we offer the following important books. You are encouraged to take a Mindful Green Moment and explore this selection.

With the publication of KNOW MY NAME by Viking, “Emily Doe,” the victim of sexual assault behind a Stanford fraternity dumpster in January 2015, emerges under her real name, Chanel Miller, to share the full story of her trauma and recovery. Emotionally honest, unwavering, powerful, and eloquent, Ms. Miller’s memoir is a testament to the power of words to heal and effect change.

In conjunction with the upcoming National Book Awards under its auspices, the National Book Foundation has announced its annual 5 Under 35 honorees, a selection of a handful of fiction writers under the age of 35 “whose debut work promises to leave a lasting impression on the literary landscape.” Among this year’s honorees is Riverhead author Bryan Washington. His debut novelLOT, published in 2019, was called “a profound exploration of the true meaning of borders” by The New York Times Book Review.

Major media, including Good Morning America, The New York Post and USA Today, has covered the “internship” of two real-life penguins at Penguin Random House’s distribution center in Westminster, Maryland. The New York Post article began: “They’re dipping their flippers into publishing. Two African penguins from the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore recently scored dream gigs: summer internships at Penguin Random House, despite never having read a single book between them.” The USA Today coverage was headlined: “A Penguin Interned at Penguin Random House, and it's the best thing we've seen all day.” The national media outlet had further fun: “A real-life penguin waddled its way into in an ‘internship’ at Penguin Random House for a day, and we don't want to jinx it, but we think the penguin is getting hired.”

Are you ready for Batman Day? Saturday, September 21st is the annual celebration of the Dark Knight! This fan-favorite event includes comic book retailers, bookstores, schools and libraries across the world to bring fans exciting festivities.

This past Tuesday saw a unique launch concert for Jacqueline Woodson’s new adult novel, RED AT THE BONE, published by Riverhead on September 17, at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan. The evening began with a private party at The Library at the Public, where Jacqueline hosted guests such as Marlon James, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Cynthia Nixon, and Brit Bennett. Attendees enjoyed a themed cake and stacks of custom-designed RED AT THE BONE broadsides.

Hispanic Heritage Month kicked off on September 15th and we’re excited that our celebration is underway. This month’s goal is to reach new audiences by honoring Hispanic culture and giving back to the community. We want our Hispanic audience to feel heard, seen, and appreciated.

Penguin Young Readers announced today the launch of Penguin Teen’s “We Are YA,” the first Young Adult podcast of its kind from a major publisher that gives creators a platform to speak their minds, dig into sensitive topics, and reflect on the social media zeitgeist. Hosted by Anna Borges, a mental health journalist formerly at Buzzfeed, senior editor at Self Magazine, and author of The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care, “We Are YA” creates a safe space where authors can have honest, thoughtful conversations about sensitive topics. The show launches on September 19th with “Finding Joy” with Gabby Rivera (Juliet Takes a Breath). A new episode of “We Are YA” will premiere weekly through October and will be available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Anchor. Upcoming guests include Laurie Halse Anderson, Renée Ahdieh, and Nina LaCour.

This summer, our distribution center in Westminster, MD had the pleasure of welcoming two real-life penguins and filming their (safely monitored) adventures as part of a video project spearheaded by the Consumer Marketing Video team. The concept: A penguin’s internship at Penguin Random House.

Graeme Gibson, celebrated Canadian author and spouse of Margaret Atwood, has died.
Nan A. Talese, President & Publisher, Nan A. Talese/Doubleday said: “I was lucky enough to publish two of Graeme’s books – THE BEDSIDE BOOK OF BIRDS and THE BEDSIDE BOOK OF BEASTS, both glorious – and of course all of Peggy’s books for forty years now. They were so happy to be in one another’s lives, and we were so happy to be in theirs. Graeme was a brilliant, gentle soul and will be deeply missed.”

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 through October 15, during which time we honor the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrate their heritage and culture. Hispanic Heritage Month, whose roots go back to 1968, begins each year on September 15, the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico, Chile and Belize also celebrate their independence days during this period and Columbus Day (Día de la Raza) is October 12 (observed this year in the U.S. on Monday, October 14th). Enjoy the following array of titles for all ages – biography, memoir, cooking, history and fiction – to mark the occasion.

In recognition of her commitment to making children’s books available for children in need, Save the Children, a global humanitarian organization celebrating its 100th year, has named Jen Loja, President & Publisher, Penguin Young Readers, a 2019 “Changemaker for Children.”

“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” - Roald Dahl
Happy Roald Dahl Day! The author was born this day in Wales, thus September 13th is internationally known as “Roald Dahl Day.” Roald Dahl wrote some of the most beloved books of all time for children, and his darkly comic themes also carried into his adult fiction. In celebration, we invite you on a reading journey into the world of his imagination:

Alfred A. Knopf has acquired world rights to a new novel by Tayari Jones, the bestselling author of An American Marriage, her critically acclaimed fourth book. The new novel, OLD FOURTH WARD, will be published simultaneously in hardcover and ebook by Alfred A. Knopf, and as an audiobook by Penguin Random House Audio. Jordan Pavlin, Vice President and Executive Editor at Knopf, acquired the book from Jane Dystel at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. The terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

Jen Loja, President, Penguin Young Readers, and Ken Wright, President and Publisher, Viking Children’s Books and Philomel Books, imprints at Penguin Young Readers, announced today that MARGARET ANASTAS will join Viking Children’s Books, where she will launch a to-be-named imprint dedicated to publishing commercial picture books and picture-book franchises. Ms. Anastas was most recently an editorial director at HarperCollins Children’s Books. Ms. Anastas will report to Ken Wright. Her appointment is effective next month.

The 2019 Pre-Holiday Season Officially Begins: Penguin Random House Annual 2-Day Transit Program Now Underway.
For many independent booksellers across the U.S., the earliest sign of the coming year-end holidays is not The Nutcracker over the sound system—but the announcement that the annual Penguin Random House 2-Day transit program has begun. The 2019-20 initiative, announced by Jaci Updike, President, U.S. Sales, Penguin Random House, extends through March 2, 2020.

Shall we say a collective “om” for National Yoga Month? September was designated as National Yoga Month through the Department of Health and Human Services in 2008. Although it’s an ancient practice, yoga is well-integrated into contemporary culture and universally acknowledged for its overall health benefits beyond the physical attributes of flexibility and balance. Studies show yoga does everything from fighting anxiety and depression, to reducing inflammation in the body. To help you in your practice we offer the following books for all levels and ages:

Delia Owens’s blockbuster bestseller, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, will be published in Spanish by Vintage Español in October, marking the first time the book will be available in a Spanish language edition in the U.S. The Spanish language edition, titled LA CHICA SALVAJE, will be published simultaneously in trade paperback and ebook from Vintage Español, and as an audiobook by Penguin Random House Audio, on October 29. All three editions have been adapted to Latin American Spanish. Vintage Español Publishing DirectorCristóbal Pera acquired U.S. and Canadian rights from El Ático de los Libros in Barcelona.

The Mendenhall Valley Public Library in Juneau, Alaska has won a visit from Randall Munroe, #1 New York Times bestselling author of HOW TO: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems. The library was selected as the winner of a contest Riverhead launched in June to give millions of xkcd fans a say in which city the former NASA roboticist and creator of the wildly popular stick-figure webcomic should add to his book tour for HOW TO. Washington Post critic Ron Charles covered the contest and winner in his books newsletter.

Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, announced today that Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton will team up to celebrate the connections families have across generations with GRANDMA’S GARDENS, a children’s picture book that highlights the special bonds between mothers, grandmothers and the children they love. Illustrated by Carme Lemniscates and inspired by Secretary Clinton’s mother Dorothy, this heartwarming mother-daughter book shares the way gardens can be wonderful places to learn, to discover, to share stories, and to spend time with people you cherish. The book is scheduled for publication on March 31, 2020.

The author of the moment is unquestionably Margaret Atwood, whose new novel, THE TESTAMENTS, the sequel to THE HANDMAID’S TALE, is being published by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday in the US and by McClelland & Stewart in Canada on Tuesday, September 10. This worldwide literary event will be celebrated with an exclusive live broadcast of MARGARET ATWOOD: LIVE IN CINEMAS in the UK, US and Canada. Filmed live from the stage of the National Theatre in London, Atwood will be interviewed by broadcaster and author Samira Ahmed in a conversation spanning the length of Atwood’s remarkable career, her diverse range of works, and why she has returned to her seminal handmaid story, 34 years later.

As part of our company’s ongoing social impact efforts and in support of Amazon Day on September 5 in Brazil, Penguin Random House and Companhia das Letras announced yesterday a joint donation to the Instituto Socioambiental (ISA).

Penguin Random House and Random House Children’s Books have partnered with First Book, the nonprofit social enterprise committed to equal access to quality education, for a campaign that places diversity, acceptance, and inclusion at the center of First Book’s back-to-school efforts, in response to educator feedback that developing empathy and respect is a priority in increasingly multicultural classrooms.

Today, Random House Books for Young Readers is publishing the picture book debut from the inimitable Paul McCartney: HEY GRANDUDE! – an action-packed roller-coaster ride that introduces a charming grandfather—the eponymous Grandude—and his four grandchildren. HEY GRANDUDE! is a heartwarming tale of adventure with a twist of magic, inspired by Paul’s own experience as a grandfather.

Did you know September is Classical Music Month? The commemoration was first proclaimed by President Clinton in 1994 to celebrate this “unifying force in our world.” Having conducted a search for the best titles on classical composers and musicians, we invite you to discover an excellent ensemble for your reading and listening pleasure! (You can read Clinton’s entire, rhapsodic, proclamation here).

Margaret Atwood’s THE TESTAMENTS is a semi-finalist for the 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize, Canada’s premier annual fiction award, marking her novel’s second international literary-prize recognition this week, following her Booker Prize short listing. It will be published September 10 by McClelland & Stewart in Canada. and by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday in the U.S.

We celebrate the respective publications today and September 10 of Salman Rushdie’s QUICHOTTE and THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood with the happy news that both novels make the shortlist for the 2019 Booker Prize. In all, 4 fiction works from our U.S., Canada, and U.K. imprints have been selected as finalists by the London-based judges for this coveted English-language fiction annual award.

“Don't mistake activity for achievement.” ― John Wooden
Labor Day weekend is upon us! Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the achievements of American workers. In honor of work, both professional and personal, check out our most popular, provocative and motivating “How To” books:

Penguin Random House had a big presence at this past weekend’s AFROPUNK , August 24-25, at Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn. As an AFROPUNK sponsor for the first time and the festival’s sole book publisher, Penguin Random House spent two full days engaging with a vibrant audience excited to learn about our books, buy as many as they could, and also hear about the different kinds of career opportunities at our company.

The fires raging across the Amazon rainforests have caused an international outcry. Tropical forests are home to many species of plants and animals found nowhere else. They are also important refuges for indigenous people, and contain enormous stores of carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change. Breaking news this week reports that the special communications office for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told CNN that the country would turn down the $20 million in international aid for the fires that was pledged at the G7 summit in France on Monday. According to the Rainforest Action Network, concerned individuals have raised millions of dollars in aid via social media fundraisers. To further illuminate the importance of Amazon’s Rainforest, we present the following titles for adult and younger readers:

All Penguin Random House colleagues are invited to meet and hear Caitlin Moscatello, author of SEE JANE WIN: The Inspiring Story of the Women Changing American Politics, at her free launch event tomorrow night, Tuesday, August 27, at The Strand in Manhattan, beginning at 7:30 pm. Moscatello will be in conversation with Amanda Litman, co-founder and executive director of Run for Something (a PAC that recruits and supports young, diverse progressives running for down-ballot office), so it’s guaranteed to be an interesting and inspiring conversation. C-SPAN-TV will be there to film the event for broadcast.

Riverhead Books returned with another exciting curated reading room at Brooklyn Bridge Park earlier this month. This time, inspired by beloved four-legged companions both fictional and real, Riverhead hosted a special "pup-up" in which readers were invited to bring their furry friends along to join in the fun for the first time!

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is Téa Obreht’s INLAND, published by Random House and debuting at #12 on The New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list for the week of September 1. Mythical, lyrical, and sweeping in scope, INLAND is grounded in true but little-known history. It showcases all of Obreht’s talents as a writer, as she subverts and reimagines myths of the American West, making them entirely—and unforgettably—her own.

Penguin Random House is a sponsor of AFROPUNK for the first time and will be the sole book publisher at this weekend’s festival, August 24-25, at Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn. AFROPUNK represents an influential community of gifted creatives from all backgrounds who express themselves through music, art, film, books, comedy, fashion and more. Originating with the 2003 documentary that highlighted a Black presence in the American punk scene, AFROPUNK is actively redefining the urban experience by centering the unwritten, unwelcome, and unheard-of.

We love Fridays! Are you looking forward to some downtime this weekend? A spot of solitude for reading one of the books everyone’s been talking about? To jog your memory, look no further than this list of independent bookstore bestsellers. We’ve culled the titles that appear on all 9 regional lists this month - 15 superbly written stories, both fiction and nonfiction, with particular affection for Toni Morrison:

As part of their ongoing work to expand and diversify their influencer network, earlier this month Penguin Teen’s digital marketing team put together an exciting influencer mailing celebrating Black voices. The mailing, dubbed “Black Excellence in YA”, featured four YA titles by Black authors and starring Black protagonists, and was sent to some 60 micro- and nano- book influencers who identify as Black, with a combined reach of 334k followers.

Colleagues with middle-grade-aged children looking for a fun weekend family outing are invited to meet and hear author Ibi Zoboi talk about and read from her new Dutton Books for Young Readers title, MY LIFE AS AN ICE CREAM SANDWICH, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 24, at Books of Wonder in Manhattan (18 W. 18th St.) This is a joint launch event with fellow children's book author Mariama J. Lockington (For Black Girls Like Me).

Over the past three years, the Penguin Random House Library Marketing Department has embraced the company’s reader-centric mission, and has devoted itself to reaching out directly to library patrons, in addition to librarians themselves. They softly launched their Borrow.Read.Repeat patron-facing platform in 2016 to keep patrons in the know about the hottest upcoming titles, and began cultivating a following for the BRR blog, e-newsletter, and social platforms with grassroots marketing efforts, including in-person book buzzes at library systems around the country. Since that time, their numerous online campaigns; advertising efforts with library systems, BookPage, and BookRiot; and creative sweepstakes have grown the platform into a powerful book discovery vehicle, with an e-newsletter that is now over 43k subscribers strong.

It’s that time of year… hot, but not too dusty to see a trail of standout fiction set in the American West. Tea Obreht’s just-released novel, INLAND, is rounding up a ton of praise, not the least of which is inclusion on President Obama’s recently posted summer reading list. As The New Yorker’s review said, “With Inland, Obreht makes a renewed case for the sustained, international appeal of the American West.” Allow us to showcase more stories that support the case beautifully:

This week’s Igloo Book Buzz selection is Timothy C. Winegard's THE MOSQUITO: A Human History of our Deadliest Predator, published by Dutton on August 6 and debuting at #9 on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list for the week of August 25. It’s the definitive book on the deadly pest that has steered the course of human history, killing an estimated half of the total human population and devastating armies, kings, and leaders from the earliest days of human existence.

Did you know tomorrow, Saturday August 17 is the first annual Bookstore Romance Day? According to the Romance Writers of America-sponsored website: “Bookstore Romance Day is a day designed to give independent bookstores an opportunity to celebrate Romance fiction—its books, readers, and writers—and to strengthen the relationships between bookstores and the Romance community.” To join the embrace this weekend, here are some bookseller favorites:

It’s a special week in our cultural history – Woodstock turns 50! The legendary music festival was held August 15–18, 1969. Billed as "an Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music" it was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York and attracted an audience of more than 400,000 to hear Jimi Hendrix, Joan Baez, The Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills Nash & Young and The Who, to name a handful. As Joni Mitchell said, “Woodstock was a spark of beauty” where half-a-million kids “saw that they were part of a greater organism.” If you were there, then you have your own story to tell and relive! If you are curious about what all the lore is about… we’ve got some stage-worthy titles you’ll want to read. Then let the music play!

Penguin Random House, in partnership with We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), a national grassroots organization that advocates for diversity in children’s literature, hosted a day-long celebration and awards ceremony on Thursday, August 8, at 1745 Broadway, for the five winners of the 2019 Creative Writing Awards.

Barnes & Noble, Inc. today announced thatINLAND by Téa Obreht is the August 2019 selection for the Barnes & Noble Book Club, a monthly book club designed to bring readers in communities across the country together to discuss the most compelling books. Barnes & Noble is selling a special, exclusive Book Club edition of INLAND as well as hosting a free Book Club night for customers to discuss the novel in stores across the country on Tuesday, September 10, beginning at 7:00 pm (local time), about one month after the book goes on sale today Random House. Customers can buy the book now and sign up for the Book Club in their local store or online at BN.com/bnbookclub.

Penguin Random House Audio has announced that award-winning Welsh actor Michael Sheen (Passengers, Frost/Nixon, The Twilight Saga, Good Omens) is narrating the US and UK audiobook edition of Philip Pullman’sThe Book of Dust: The Secret Commonwealth (Listening Library; on sale October 3, 2019).

Today marks the 165th anniversary of the publication of Henry David Thoreau’s seminal memoir WALDEN, OR A LIFE IN THE WOODS. Published by Ticknor and Fields in 1854, WALDEN details Thoreau's experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond amidst woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts. It’s been noted that Thoreau spent almost four times as long on the WALDEN manuscript as he spent at the cabin. This summer is a fine time to find yourself some solitude to read, or revisit, this classic treatise on living off the grid as well as others inspired by it and the transcendental life of Henry David Thoreau:

This week’s Igloo Book Buzz selection is ELLIE AND THE HARPMAKER, a debut novel by Hazel Prior, published on August 6 by Berkley. Prior is a harpist based in Exmoor, England. Originally from Oxford, she fell in love with the harp as a student and now performs regularly. After placing some of her short stories in literary magazines, Prior says, "I knew I’d only manage to write a whole novel if I wrote about what I loved, what would keep me passionately inspired and involved. So I wrote about harps. I wrote about the countryside. I wrote about characters who don't quite fit in, who long for fulfillment and expression; who battle with all sorts of problems but, in the end, find the freedom to be themselves."

When my plane touched down in New York City two months ago, the only thing that calmed my beating heart was the reminder that I was on my way to the internship of a lifetime. Within 24 restive hours, I had my first flight, first cab ride, first subway ride, first real slice of NYC pizza, and first truly professional experience. With trepidation, I entered 1745 Broadway doe-eyed, revering the literary world and wanting desperately to break into it. I never expected such a warm reception from every person here at PRH and feel honored to have been privy to such a vast source of knowledge.

On Wednesday, July 24, Penguin Random House and Kellogg’s launched the 2019 Feeding Reading program. To kick off the nationwide initiative, beloved New York Times bestselling authors Mary Pope Osborne and Vanessa Williams joined students from New York P.S. 130 at Kellogg’s NYC Café for a snack-time story hour. With Penguin Random House characters, corporate branding, and book covers to be featured on over 80,000,000 Kellogg’s breakfast and snack packages, this is by far the largest direct-to-consumer program Penguin Random House has ever executed.

Attention New York City colleagues: celebrated Knopf author Richard Russo will be appearing at the Strand Bookstore in Manhattan on Thursday, August 8, to discuss his new novel CHANCES ARE …. This free event begins at 7:00 pm.

Have you read or listened to WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING yet? The phenomenal bestseller has struck a chord and many fans are citing the beautiful natural descriptions as one reason this coming-of-age mystery set on the coastline of North Carolina is so appealing. Author Delia Owens is a biologist who was awarded the John Burroughs Award for Nature Writing. Marshes make evocative settings in many other Penguin Random House titles and we’ve gathered some of the best:

We are profoundly sad to report that Toni Morrison has died at the age of eighty-eight. She died last night at Montefiore Medical Center in New York.
The Bluest Eye, Morrison’s first novel, was published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1970. Morrison followed with Sula in 1973, and nine subsequent novels, all of them published with Alfred A. Knopf.

Colleagues in the vicinity of Pasadena, California are invited to attend a free event on Wednesday, August 7, at Vroman’s Bookstore, where #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais will be discussing his new crime novel A DANGEROUS MAN (G.P. Putnam’s Sons). There will be a reading, Q&A, and book signing in addition to his talk, which begins at 7:00 pm.

“Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” — Oprah Winfrey
With the proliferation of social media “friendship” has taken on broader meaning. Still, we all know what a good friend is and Sunday, August 4th is World Friendship Day – as proclaimed by U.S. Congress in 1935. So hug a friend! Research shows that friendship and longevity are linked. To honor the bond, here are some special books – for adults and children – perfect for sharing with your friends…

The dynamic international reach of Penguin Classics was on full display when Elda Rotor, Vice President, Publisher, Penguin Classics, presented all aspects of the brand and its books at a two-day series of events in the Philippines. She worked closely with Penguin Random House International sales reps Honey De Peralta and Jenny Javier, who helped shape a wonderfully diverse schedule of events and media interviews, including an article, “Philippine Titles Now Penguin Classics,” by Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Traveling to Japan? Interested in the culture?BE MORE JAPAN: The Art of Japanese Living, published on July 30 by DK Eyewitness Travel, is a celebration of all things Japanese – from the country’s time-honored ancient traditions to its unique and influential modern culture. Blending both travel information and cultural insights into a single book, BE MORE JAPAN helps readers understand and experience the best of Japan, both at home and abroad.

As July closes, we are taking stock of trending fiction and the girls have it! Pick up one of these new and popular books whose titles have “girls” in common and be prepared to be provoked, moved and entertained to the hilt!

Colleagues spending time in the Hamptons are invited to meet Lauren Gershell, co-author of THAT’S WHAT FRENEMIES ARE FOR (Ballantine). Gershell will be in conversation with Libby Owens and Eva Haber Fisher about Women's Friendships at Book Hampton in East Hampton, NY on Wednesday, July 31. This free event begins at 5:00 p.m.

Ten Speed Press authors Robert Simonson, Alex Day, David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Ivy Mix are winners of 2019 Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Spirited Awards. Considered to be “the Oscars of the spirits/beverage industry,” the 13th Annual Spirited Awards were presented on July 20 at the Tales of the Cocktail Festival in New Orleans.

When Dungeons & Dragons was introduced in 1974, it marked the beginning of a new era of role-playing games, with an inventive mix of adventure, strategy, multi-dimensional characters, and epic tales. Here in 2019, Ten Speed Press has responded to the ever-growing enthusiasm for Dungeons & Dragons, across all age groups, with a new “Young Adventurer’s Guide” series by Jim Zub. These illustrated primers, including WARRIORS & WEAPONS and MONSTERS & CREATURES, offer insights into the many characters you can play in D&D, along with their essential weapons and adventuring tools, as well as beasts and monsters. These books are the perfect entry points for young fans of fantasy eager to become D&D adventurers.

Children should have enough freedom to be themselves - once they've learned the rules. - Anna Quindlen
Parents unite! Sunday, July 28th is the 25th anniversary of National Parents Day. In the United States, Parents Day is held on the fourth Sunday of July. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed the Congressional Resolution into law for "recognizing, uplifting, and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children." As most would agree, parenting is perhaps the most challenging and rewarding of all of life’s endeavors. Whether you are a new or seasoned parent, tackling teething, sleeping, toddlerhood or the teens, we’ve got your back with the following books:

“Madeline’s Picks” — a prh.com feature presenting personally curated book selections by Madeline McIntosh, debuted in April. “Madeline’s Picks” builds on the popularity of prh.com’s “Staff Picks,” which are e-mailed to consumers on a regular basis.

Penguin Random House celebrated the 50th anniversary of San Diego Comic-Con with record-breaking sales, over 40 in-booth signings, and countless face-to-face interactions with fans. Featured sales and promotional items included Timothy Zahn‘sTHRAWN: TREASON Con Edition, which could be purchased as a hardcover or an audiobook edition; Dungeons & Dragons character creation kits; “Be More RBG” pins from DK; a DUNE series box; early on-sale copies of Pierce Brown’sDARK AGE; plus the latest Fight Evil, Read Books t-shirts, designed by Leela Coleman and in collaboration with Pantheon, received an enthusiastic response. Out of Print exhibited once again this year in an adjacent booth, boasting strong sales for their Star Wars collection and Little Golden Books.

Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, and eight more Penguin Random House authors are among the thirteen longlisted for this year's Booker Prize published by our U.S., Canada, and U.K. imprints.
These semi-finalists for this coveted international English-language literary honor were selected by a British judging panel from 151 submitted books published in the U.K. and Ireland between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019:

Looking for the perfect refreshment to beat the heat and warm the heart? J. Ryan Stradal’s THE LAGER QUEEN OF MINNESOTA - published this week – is sure to quench! As the author traverses the country giving readings and spreading good cheer, here’s an accompanying batch of books on the subject of beer:

DreamWorks is producing a new Netflix Original series based on Random House Children’s Books’GO, DOG. GO!by P.D. Eastman, edited by Dr. Seuss. The CG-animated series is being created with DHX Media and will premiere in 2020. Executive produced by Adam Peltzman (Odd Squad, WallyKazam), who is also serving as showrunner, the series follows a young pup and her adventures in Pawtson.

Colleagues in and around New York City are invited to enjoy a reading and signing by Owen Matthews, author of BLACK SUN (Doubleday). This free event takes place on Tuesday, July 23, at Rizzoli Bookstore, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Make that a double scoop… July is National Ice Cream Month! Is there a more favorite summer treat? We think not! Artisanal ice cream is all the rage, but the round-the-block lines are daunting. Skip the line this weekend! With the books we are serving up, now you can wow friends and family with homemade ice cream, gelato, sorbets and the like. What’s more, you’ll learn about flavors to savor, as well as the business, science and culture of ice cream.

Random House Graphic (RHG), a new imprint dedicated to publishing graphic novels for kids and teens of every age and interest, fiction and nonfiction, will launch its first list in Spring 2020, it was announced by Gina Gagliano, Publishing Director, Random House Graphic. The list includes four titles of varied genres that span from young chapter books to YA, reflecting the rapidly growing popularity of the format among young readers. This inaugural list announcement was made in coordination with the launch of the Random House Graphic website, now live at rhkidsgraphic.com.

Colorado colleagues are cordially invited to a Romance Readings event, with novelist Jasmine Guillory, who will discuss and read from her new Berkley book, THE WEDDING PARTY. Fellow Berkley author Alexa Martin, whose novels were inspired by the eight years she spent as an NFL wife, will also appear and read an excerpt her latest title, FUMBLED. Both authors will sign their books at this free event , which will take place beginning at 2;00 p.m. on Sunday, July 21 at the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver.

Colleagues in and around the Bay Area are invited to join Penguin Press author Margaret O’Mara for a lunchtime discussion of her new book, THE CODE: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America. The event , which also includes a book signing, begins at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 18, at Book Passage's Ferry Building location in San Francisco.

Before Andy Weir became recognized internationally as the #1 New York Times-bestselling, award-winning author of THE MARTIAN (Crown/Broadway), he spent his free time writing fanfiction and web comics. With the help of illustrator Sarah Andersen, one of his early web comics has been adapted into a lushly illustrated new graphic novel, CHESHIRE CROSSING, published by Ten Speed Press on July 9.

Written, illustrated, and hand-lettered by Jimmy Kimmel himself, THE SERIOUS GOOSE is an interactive picture book that challenges readers of all ages to turn a very Serious Goose into a very Silly Goose, and will be published on December 3, 2019, it was announced today by Barbara Marcus, President & Publisher, Random House Children’s Books. North American rights were negotiated with Suzanne Gluck, William Morris Entertainment. The book will release with a first printing of 500,000 copies.

John Sandford, the beloved #1 bestselling Putnam author of more than thirty novels in the respective series featuring relentless law-enforcement officials Lucas Davenport (Prey) and Virgil Flowers, was honored as the 2019 ThrillerMaster at the International Thriller Writers (ITW) July 13 closing ceremony, concluding the 14th annual five-day ThrillerFest Convention in Manhattan. Earlier that Saturday, Sandford sat for a rare and revealing interview, conducted by his long-time editor, now-retired Putnam Associate Publisher and Editor in Chief Neil Nyren.

Finalists have been announced for the 2019 George Washington Prize, which recognizes the "best written works on the nation's founding era, especially those that have the potential to advance broad public understanding of early American history."

We know you love reading, but…what’s your favorite podcast? It’s hard to keep up with what to listen to with new series’ launching at such a rapid pace. Did you know many of the most informative and entertaining podcast hosts are also authors? We think if you like their take on things - their smarts and style - you’ll surely enjoy their books!

As we continue to support diversity and inclusion, Penguin Random House is piloting a Diversity Library program with ten Title One high schools from across New York City’s five boroughs. Each institution selected to be part of the program will receive a total of 20 titles by diverse authors geared towards high-school-aged students, published by Random House Children’s Books and Penguin Young Readers imprints. The books will become a part of the schools’ libraries.

Basketball and book clubs? Not a common combination, but an important one to Ekpe Udoh. A professional player for the National Basketball Association’s Utah Jazz, Mr. Udoh is a voracious reader and has his own book club, which attracted the interest of Michelle Obama earlier this year. “Do I get a vote?” Mrs. Obama tweeted to Mr. Udoh’s request for help choosing his next book. “Of course, no voter suppression here! We will read BECOMING next,” he replied. “At #EkpesBookClub we encourage the thoughts of individuals from all walks of life. It would be an honor if you could stop by for a discussion or join our Twitter discussion.”

Are your kids languishing on the couch this summer? Glued to their screens while you try to place books in their hands or tout the wonders of the out-of-doors or even getting together with friends? We hear talk of the “summer slide” each season and most schools have summer reading requirements. Possibly, the young ones in your life are bookworms rejoicing that they finally have more time for non-assigned reading. Whatever the case, the following hot new releases are sure to satisfy readers of all ages, levels and tastes and great to take on trips!

Last month, Penguin Random House partnered with Drag Queen Story Hour to produce an exciting Literary Drag Show as part of The Library After Hours: Pride edition. Hosted by the New York Public Library with support from the Penguin Random House LGBTQ Network, the June 21 show featured performances by Harmonica Sunbeam, Miz Jade, Witti Repartee, Lee VaLone, Ash Blight, and Cétait BonTemps.

Berkley author Kali Wallace has had a lifelong passion for science and storytelling, both shining through brilliantly in her new novel, SALVATION DAY, released on Tuesday, July 9. Robert J. Sawyer, a Hugo Award Winner and fellow Berkley author, praised her book as “one of the major science-fiction debuts of 2019.” In this incredibly fast-paced, claustrophobic thriller, a lethal virus is awoken on an abandoned spaceship set in a universe where humanity has been forced to rebuild after near extinction.

Colleagues in and around NYC are invited to join Optimism Press for a special event featuring the new imprint’s very first author, Summer Rayne Oakes. She will be in conversation with imprint founder, Chief Optimist and New York Times bestselling author Simon Sinek at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Edible Academy Amphitheater (2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx ) on Wednesday, July 10, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., to celebrate the much-anticipated publication of HOW TO MAKE A PLANT LOVE YOU: Cultivating Green Space in Your Home and Heart. As part of Wellness Wednesdays at the NYBG, Oakes will be talking all-things plants and the importance of bringing nature indoors, making for a dynamic conversation between her and Sinek. To RSVP for this event, click here.

Are you ready for the long holiday weekend? Looking for something relevant to read? The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. To honor the occasion, this week we turn to no lesser topic than America itself with something for everyone. So here’s to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!

Walter Dean Myers is the posthumous recipient of the 2019 Children’s Literature Legacy Award honoring an author or illustrator, published in the United States, whose books have made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children. His numerous and award-winning works include “Fast Sam, Cool Clyde, and Stuff” (Viking, 1975) and “On a Clear Day” (Ember, 2015).

As we near the 4th of July holiday, this week’s Igloo Book Buzz selection is, appropriately, the New York Times bestselling Random House title SONGS OF AMERICA: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music that Made a Nationby Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw. From “The Star-Spangled Banner” to “Born in the U.S.A.,” this creative partnership between a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and a chart-topping country music superstar takes readers on a moving and insightful journey through eras in American history and the songs and performers that inspired us. Meacham chronicles our history, exploring the stories behind the songs, and McGraw reflects on them as an artist and performer. Their perspectives combine to create a unique view of the role music has played in uniting and shaping a nation.

The winners of the 2019 Creative Writing Awards have been announced by Penguin Random House, in partnership with We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), a national grassroots organization that advocates for diversity in children’s literature. Now in its twenty-sixth year, the competition for the first time was expanded beyond greater New York to become a nationwide search, awarding scholarships and other resources that will recognize and encourage the next generation of talented writers.

Colleagues planning to head to the Hamptons over the July 4th weekend are invited to meet author Cristina Alger, who will be signing copies of her new Putnam book, GIRLS LIKE US, on Saturday, July 6, at Berry & Co. in Sag Harbor, beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Through the lenses of protest, power, and pride, WE ARE EVERYWHERE by Matthew Reimer and Leighton Brown, published by Ten Speed Press, is a rich, sweeping and empowering photographic history of the Queer Liberation Movement. The creators and curators of the popular Instagram account @lgbt_history, Reimer and Brown combine exhaustively researched narrative with meticulously curated photographs. The resulting coffee-table-sized volume traces queer activism from its roots in late-nineteenth-century Europe–long before the pivotal Stonewall Riots of 1969–to the gender warriors leading the charge today.

On Monday, June 24, at the Tishman Auditorium in New York, Random House brought together four leading voices in cultural journalism to celebrate their highly anticipated summer books and discuss the ways in which pop culture — everything from binge-worthy TV to ubiquitous celebrities to the rise of athleisure — influences how we behave as a society. Co-hosted by the New School's Creative Writing Program and Lang Literary Studies Program, the event welcomed some of the most sought-after journalists and emerging authors for an engaging discussion.

HBO’s acclaimed “Chernobyl” miniseries has just been reported by Forbes Magazine as the highest audience-scored show in history on IMDB (International Movie Database). With talk and interest in the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster seeing such a resurgence, we present the following books on the topic:

Australia is a long way from New York, but when Stephen Morrow, Vice President, Executive Editor, Dutton, recently participated in the Australia Council for the Arts’ Visiting International Publishers 2019 program, it felt like a homecoming. Stephen is originally from the continent Down Under and was selected to be among the 12 visiting international publishing representatives contingent, which also included Kokila Editor Joanna Cárdenas.

Penguin Random House hosted UNDER ONE ROOF, a live storytelling event in celebration of World Pride, on Thursday, June 13, at The Ace Hotel in New York City. The evening featured a wide spectrum of queer literature and the storytellers who reinforce the importance of publishing a diversity of voices. Filled with ebbing moments of reflection and jubilance, audience members heard from some of our leading authors in queer literature.

Linda Holmes, the host of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour” podcast, has written a sparkling debut novel, EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER, published by Ballantine, set in a sleepy seaside town in Maine, about an unlikely relationship between a young woman who’s lost her husband and a major league baseball pitcher who’s lost his game. Meet recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake, who rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash, and Dean Tenney, a former major league baseball pitcher, who can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why. Evvie and Dean must reckon with their current realities and their murky pasts—the friendships they’ve damaged, the secrets they’ve kept—but in life, as in baseball, there’s always a chance—up until the last out.

Mark your calendars New York-based colleagues. Author/journalist/editor Lauren Mechling is presenting her debut adult novel,HOW COULD SHE, published by Viking, on Thursday, July 27, at McNally Jackson Booksellers on Prince Street in NYC. Mechling will be in conversation with author/journalist Rumaan Alam at this free event, which begins at 7:00 pm.

Claire Adam has won the 12th annual Desmond Elliott Prize for her debut novel, GOLDEN CHILD, published in the U.S. by SJP for Hogarth. Adam takes home the £10,000 (about $12,700) prize, which the Daily Telegraph calls the “UK’s most prestigious award for first-time novelists.”

Colleagues in the vicinity of Washington, D.C., take note: Knopf author Bren Smith will be discussing his new book EAT LIKE A FISH: My Adventures as a Fisherman Turned Restorative Ocean Farmerat Politics & Prose Bookstore at the Wharf on Monday, June 24. Smith will be in conversation with Miriam Goldstein, managing director for Energy and Environmental Policy and the director for Ocean Policy at American Progress. This free event is from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Poet Ocean Vuong’s just-published novel, ON EARTH WE’RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS (Penguin Press), is being praised far and wide - as is the audiobook edition, which is read by the author. Currently on tour, Ocean Vuong’s bookstore audiences are standing-room only. He speaks eloquently about the power of language, about the craft and writers he admires. In that spirit, we turn this week to the acknowledgment section of the novel where Ocean Vuong gives “a deep bow to the following artists and musicians whom I leaned on, repeatedly, while writing this book.” The poets and writers he names there, and elsewhere, provide a master class to their readers. Among them…

Sally Rooney has won the Royal Society of Literature's £10,000 (about $12,590) Encore Award for best second novel of the year for NORMAL PEOPLE (Hogarth). The Royal Society of Literature, founded in 1820, is a UK charity dedicated to the advancement of literature. The 2019 judges are RSL Fellows Edmund Gordon, Nikita Lalwani and Eley Williams.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s CITY OF GIRLS, published by Riverhead, was named the #1 pick, topping Amazon’s selections for its Best Books of the Year So Far. Sarah Gelman, Editorial Director, Amazon Books, said of the novel, “It has so many elements that make reading fun – the sparkle of youth, indiscretions, sassy characters, and freedom in a city that doesn’t sleep – perfect summer reading in our book.”

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and the Alzheimer’s Association (ALZ) has launched their #goPurple campaign. According to ALZ, 50 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias. The more people know about Alzheimer's, the more action can be taken. In support of all who struggle with dementia, we present the following books: memoirs from beloved authors, groundbreaking health and science titles and stories for younger readers in order to educate as well as offer hope for the future:

Colorado colleagues in the vicinity of Denver are in for a treat. Celebrated author James Ellroy will be presenting his latest novel, THIS STORM, published by Alfred A Knopf, at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver on Colfax Street on Friday, June 21. This free event begins at 7:00 p.m.

The Bertelsmann Foundation and Humanity in Action have teamed up with Andrew Keen – host, author and Silicon Valley entrepreneur – to present “How to Fix Democracy,” a video and podcast series that features interviews on democracy’s past, present and future. Launched in January 2019, this series explores why democracy is not delivering in Europe and North America and how it can be reinvigorated.

Robin Robertson’s THE LONG TAKE, published by Alfred A. Knopf, has won the £25,000 (about $31,470) 2019 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, which "celebrates quality, and innovation of writing in the English language, and is open to books published in the previous year in the U.K., Ireland or the Commonwealth... the majority of the storyline must have taken place at least 60 years ago." Robertson is the first Scot and first poet to win the prize in its 10-year history.

Attention colleagues in Colorado: Mona Awad, author ofBUNNY, published by Viking, is appearing at Tattered Cover Book Store on Colfax Avenue in Denver on Wednesday, June 19. Awad’s talk will be followed by a Q&A and book signing.

IDAHO by Emily Ruskovich (Random House) has won the 2019 International Dublin Literary Award, which "aims to promote excellence in world literature" by honoring a novel written in English or translated into English. The €100,000 (about $112,890) award represents one the world’s largest literary prizes. Sponsored by Dublin City Council and managed by Dublin City Libraries, the competition featured a total of 141 titles, nominated by libraries in 115 cities across 41 countries. Ruskovich is only the fourth American to win the award in its 24-year history.

Bill Loverd, who, as the Director of Publicity at Knopf Publishers for nearly forty years, championed the work of some of the most distinguished writers of the last half of the twentieth century, died yesterday at his home in New Jersey. He was 78. The cause was cancer.

Come out on Monday, June 17, to Books Are Magic in Brooklyn to see New York Times bestselling author Esi Edugyan discuss her latest book, WASHINGTON BLACK, published by Knopf/Vintage. This free, one-hour event begins at 7:30 p.m., and Edugyan will be signing copies of her book after her talk.

Colleagues based in the Bay Area are invited to join poet/author Ocean Vuong for a discussion of his new Penguin Press book, ON EARTH WE’RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS, with Penguin author Rebecca Solnit, on Tuesday, June 18, at Green Apple Books on the Park in San Francisco. The event begins at 7:30 pm.

Following the success of the inaugural Writing Business Bootcamp in Philadelphia last fall, the Authors Guild Foundation and Penguin Random House continued their partnership, bringing the bootcamp series to underserved communities across the country, including Cincinnati, OH, Decatur, GA, New Orleans, LA, Seattle, WA, and Santa Fe, NM earlier this year. As the initiative’s exclusive publishing partner, Penguin Random House sponsored two employees per city to share their publishing expertise and work experience with diverse groups of aspiring authors.

Our new Igloo Book Buzz selection is HOW TO SKIMM YOUR LIFE, published by Ballantine on June 11. Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisburg, founders and co-CEOs of theSkimm, reveal, “This book’s journey really began four years ago. We didn’t know what to read over Memorial Day weekend, and we decided that our Skimm’rs could probably relate. So we started a section in the Daily Skimm e-mail newsletter called ‘Skimm Reads,’ where we recommended a book we thought our audience might want to have for the long weekend. Our audience liked it, so we recommended another one the next week. Fast-forward to today, and we’re humbled to say that theSkimm is a leader in recommendations, the biggest one being books. HOW TO SKIMM YOUR LIFE is the embodiment of our mission, and covers it all: personal finance, career, stress management, global politics, civic engagement, and more. We hope that you use it as a reference tool as you navigate the big moments in your life. We hope that you share it with a friend. You never know when you’ll end up starting a business together.”

I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us at odd moments, when they aren't trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom. - Umberto Eco
Sunday, June 16, is Father’s Day. Like all profound relationships, the one between father and child is complex. To honor the fathers in our lives, we’ve assembled some of the best books that dad may like on a wide range of subjects, with even some fiction thrown in for good measure. Whether dad’s a birder, history buff, chef, armchair scientist, runner, film and/or jazz connoisseur we’ve got books for those interests and more!

In the ongoing spirit of giving back to our communities, Penguin Random House has been a longtime supporter of Shakespeare in the Park, one of the cornerstones of the Public Theater’s mission to bring performing arts to the people of New York City. Since 1962, over five million have experienced more than 150 free productions of Shakespeare and other classical works and musicals.

Did you know that June is Audiobook Month? As the recent Audio Publishers Association survey revealed, 50% of Americans have now listened to an audiobook. Readers who love print books love audiobooks, too, and book clubs often supplement their reading with audio. The advent of podcasts has revived the oral tradition for a new generation and the stigma is off… audiobook listening is not cheating! Here are some of the best new releases for your wee